Michael Owen and Danny Murphy make feelings clear on Mo Salah outburst

Mohamed Salah dropped a bombshell at Leeds on Saturday night (Picture: Getty Images)

Former Liverpool stars Michael Owen and Danny Murphy have taken aim at Mohamed Salah for his outburst against the club.

The Reds legend has been out of the starting line-up of late, starting the last three games on the bench and did not even come on in the 3-3 draw with Leeds on Saturday.

It comes amid a very difficult season for the Premier League champions for which Salah feels he is being made a scape goat.

‘I’m very, very disappointed, to be fair. I have done so much for this club. Everybody can see that during the years and especially last season,’ Salah told reporters at Elland Road.

‘Sitting on the bench, I don’t know why, it seems the club are throwing me under the bus, that’s how it feels. It’s very clear that someone wants me to get all the blame.’

He added, among other eye-catching comments: ‘I said many times before I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden we don’t have any relationship. I don’t know why.

‘It seems to me someone doesn’t want me in the club. I love the club so much.’

Salah applauded Liverpool fans in what could have been a farewell (Picture: Getty Images)

The 33-year-old even suggested he could be leaving the club in January, saying of next weekend’s game against Brighton: ‘I don’t know if I am going to play or not, but I am going to enjoy it. In my head, I’m going to enjoy that game because I don’t know what is going to happen now.

‘I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to Africa Cup of Nations. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.’

Unsurprisingly, feathers were ruffled by the Egyptian’s explosive comments and former Reds players have reacted.

Owen has some sympathy for the frustrated forward, but has criticised the way he has gone about dealing with the issue.

‘Oh @mosalah 🫣 I can imagine how you feel,’ Owen posted on X. ‘You’ve carried this team for a long time and won everything there is to win.

‘But this is a team game and you simply can’t publicly say what you’ve said. You’re going to Afcon in a week. Surely you bite your lip, enjoy representing your country and see how the land lies when you get back?’

Michael Owen felt Salah should have dealt with his issues privately (Picture: Getty Images)

Murphy, who played alongside Owen for Liverpool, also felt the decision to speak out was not right, however annoyed Salah is with his situation.

‘We know that’s an emotional response and doesn’t really stack up,’ Murphy said on Match of the Day . ‘Everyone has to keep fighting for their place and perform at a certain level.

‘I think you can be emotional, you can be angry and frustrated. He’s done wonderful things for the football club, (but) you have to keep it within the four walls of the football club.

‘Knock on the manager’s door, go and see the CEO, the owner, do what you’ve got to do. By doing what he’s done he’s causing the team a problem, he’s causing the manager a problem and he’s making it all about him. You just can’t do it.

‘Whether you agree with him being left out or not, you can’t do it like this. I think he will have time to settle down.

‘The reality is everybody would want a legend like Salah to go on good terms with a wonderful send off. I hope it doesn’t end badly because of everything he has given, but there’s always a chance if he’s adamant.

‘ Liverpool Football Club are in charge of what happens because he’s signed the contract but if he’s adamant he wants to leave maybe we will see something in January, but I hope not.’

Jamie Carragher was frustrated with Salah before he spoke out (Picture: Getty Images)

Another former Reds star, Jamie Carragher, was already hitting out at Salah before his headline-grabbing statements.

The ex-England defender suggested the former Chelsea man was shirking responsibility amid the club’s bad run of results, only stepping in front of a microphone when it benefitted him.

‘I must say on the back of all these Liverpool defeats, it’s always Virgil van Dijk who comes out, and as I said the captain should do that but there should be other players in that dressing room coming out and speaking for the club,’ Carragher said on Sky Sports.

‘A year ago this weekend Mo Salah wasn’t shy in coming out and speaking about his own situation, about the club not offering him a contract.

‘I only every hear Salah speak when he gets Man of the Match, or he needs a new contract. I’d like to see Mo Salah come out as one of the leaders, one of the legends of Liverpool, come out and speak for the team. It shouldn’t always be the captain.’

Carragher has arguably been proved correct by Salah’s latest gift to the press, during which the Egyptian predicted more criticism from the former Reds man.

‘After what I have done for the club it really hurts. You can imagine, really. After going from home to the club and you don’t know if you are starting. I know the club too well, I have been here many years,’ said Salah.

‘Tomorrow Carragher is going to go for me again and again and that’s fine.