Arne Slot sack talk blows up as Gerrard reacts to Salah’s ‘damning’ statement on Liverpool struggles

Player power – and particularly that from departing superstar Mohamed Salah – could well result in Arne Slot being sacked by Liverpool after all, with Steven Gerrard admitting the “unusual” comments made by the Egyptian are extremely “damning” with all that is happening at Anfield.

Liverpool suffered their 20th defeat in all competitions on Friday night as Aston Villa comfortably recorded a 4-2 victory. That defeat was their 12th in the Premier League this season, the same number as previously relegation-threatened Leeds, and leaves the Dutchman’s future under intense speculation.

While it was previously revealed that Slot would be given the green light to continue in the role, we reported that, while that is expected to be the case, the club’s owners, FSG, have at least wanted to see signs of improvement and positivity over the remaining games of the season.

Back in early March, we revealed several strong reservations FSG still had over the 47-year-old.

Now, some two months later, noises over Slot’s potential departure are growing louder than ever, with club icon Salah, who will leave Anfield following next Sunday’s home game against Brentford, making clear his dissatisfaction at just how far the side had fallen.

Taking to X to deliver a damning assessment of Liverpool under the Dutchman this season, Salah wrote: “I have witnessed this club go from doubters to believers, and from believers to champions.

“It took hard work and I always did everything I could to help the club get there. Nothing makes me prouder than that.

“Us crumbling to yet another defeat this season was very painful and not what our fans deserve.

“I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and back to being a team that wins trophies.

“That is the football I know how to play and that is the identity that needs to be recovered and kept for good.

“It cannot be negotiable and everyone who joins this club should adapt to it. Winning some games here and there is not what Liverpool should be about. All teams win games.

“Liverpool will always be a club that means a great deal to me and to my family. I want to see it succeed for long after I have moved on.

“As I’ve always said, qualifying to next season’s Champions League is the bare minimum, and I will do everything I can to make that happen.”

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Gerrard shocked by Salah’s statement on Liverpool struggles

In response to those comments, Gerrard admits the statement could prove hugely damaging, with the timing critical given it comes just a week before his final appearance in Liverpool colours.

“Wow. Listen, that is extremely interesting,” he told TNT Sports. “Mo Salah doesn’t really speak much, and he doesn’t tweet, and he certainly doesn’t tweet like that.

“So I think that he’s sending a message to the outside that things in that Liverpool dressing room are not right: the identity’s gone, and it’s really hurting him to see it in front of his own eyes.

“I’m surprised by the timing. One game to go, his last game for Liverpool. You guys know, you’ve been involved in the media: he very rarely speaks, he’s done interviews lately because he’s obviously bringing the curtain down on an incredible Liverpool career.

“But that is quite damning to the Liverpool manager and the staff in terms of where this team’s at. That’s my opinion on that.

“Is he speaking off his own back for the sake of everyone else in the dressing room? It’s strange, it’s unusual.

“He’s going to be doing a load of media around his last game, I’m sure. I’m really looking forward to the coming days because that’s unusual for a Liverpool player, and it’s unusual for Mo Salah.

“Crumbling is a strong word. It’s quite damning, the timing. It’s unusual coming from Mo. The pressure’s on the players, and the pressure’s on the manager because it hasn’t been nowhere near good enough.

“The performance [Friday] night was terrible, it was awful, it was difficult to watch from start to finish, and it hurt me watching Liverpool last night. I don’t normally say that.

“It was a tough 90 minutes, and they got what they deserved. Villa were better all over the pitch. There was no fight, no passion, no pattern of play, no connection, they’re not moving around the pitch together, individuals were miles off what I know they can perform at. It hurt me to watch Liverpool [Friday] night, they were nowhere near good enough. Let’s finish on that note.”

It seems that confidence in Slot is not just starting to ebb away, but has now totally gone!

With several journalists, including James Pearce and Lewis Steele, speaking out on the growing doubts, several pundits have also dropped their verdict on why the time might be right for a change.

This demand from Jermaine Pennant was certainly extremely damning.

However, the biggest factor could well prove player power, and with Salah’s final act at Anfield to potentially take down the manager.

Per a report on Saturday evening, a number of players have also backed Salah’s statement by allegedly liking the post.

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