Liverpool news: Mo Salah causes dressing room stir as Arne Slot's true motivation revealed

View 4 Images

It's been an extremely turbulent few days for Liverpool . After throwing away a 2-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Leeds on Saturday, Mo Salah then went nuclear by taking swipes at both the club and manager Arne Slot in an explosive post-match interview .

Salah's Liverpool future has subsequently been cast into doubt, with a January exit now looking likely if fences aren't mended soon. His remarks, which sent shockwaves around Merseyside, came after the Egyptian was left out of Liverpool's starting XI for the third straight game.

Salah was an unused sub against Leeds , just as he was against West Ham two games prior, and the snubs appear to have sent him over the edge. He spoke of broken promises, a tarnished relationship with the manager and being "thrown under the bus" by the club.

The 33-year-old feels he's been made the scapegoat for his side's poor form and even suggested there were people at the club who wanted to force him out. He also claimed he shouldn't have to fight for his place in the team, branding his omission from the starting XI "unacceptable."

Later this month, Salah will leave for the Africa Cup of Nations , meaning he may well have played his last game for the Reds, particularly after he was left out of the travelling squad to face Inter Milan in the Champions League . Here, Mirror Football rounds up the latest Liverpool-related headlines.

Salah claimed he believed his omission was motivated by someone at the club trying to push him out. However, that does not appear to be the case, with club officials reportedly taken aback by his comments at Elland Road.

According to The Athletic , Slot views dropping Salah as a straightforward tactical decision. The choice to deploy Dominik Szoboszlai on the right flank was intended to make the team more defensively solid.

That was the primary reason behind the change, though experimenting with different formations ahead of Salah's AFCON departure also played a role.

View 4 Images

Several Liverpool players noticed Salah's mood change on Friday when he was informed he'd be on the bench for the trip to Leeds. The forward reportedly argued his case at the training ground, letting Slot know his feelings on the decision.

As such, many of his team-mates were "braced" for a public reaction. But while Salah's comments on Saturday didn't come totally out of the blue, most were surprised by just how far he went.

It's understood Salah was surprised when he was first dropped against West Ham - and his mood darkened when he wasn't reinstated to the line-up against Sunderland last week. However, it wasn't until he was dropped against Leeds that he properly snapped.

View 4 Images

Elsewhere, Xabi Alonso is facing mounting pressure at Real Madrid - and could be replaced by former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp if he is dismissed. Despite a bright start to the campaign, Los Blancos have won just one of their last five La Liga matches and slipped four points behind Barcelona after Sunday's 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo.

That poor run, combined with growing concerns over the team's style of play under Alonso, has fuelled speculation that the Spaniard may be sacked in the near future. Should that happen, Klopp is among the leading candidates to take over, per El Mundo .

Klopp, currently serving as Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull , was frequently linked with Real Madrid during his Liverpool tenure. It remains unclear whether he would return to management, however, having insisted his coaching career had ended following his departure from Anfield last year.

View 4 Images

Alonso's potential exit could also open a door for Liverpool, particularly with Slot's future uncertain. Alonso was the club's top choice to succeed Klopp in 2024 and interest in the former Reds midfielder is believed to remain strong on Merseyside.

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.