Wayne Rooney has delivered his most stinging verdict yet on Mohamed Salah dropped from Anfield finale calling the Liverpool legend “selfish,” “disrespectful,” and completely out of order.
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show on Monday, the Manchester United icon urged Arne Slot to axe Salah from the squad for Saturday’s Brentford farewell denying him his Anfield send-off.
What Rooney Said In His Own Words
Rooney did not hold back. “If I was Arne Slot, I’d have him nowhere near the stadium in the last game,” he said.
He drew a direct personal comparison: “I had a disagreement and fall-out with Alex Ferguson. At Alex Ferguson’s last game at Old Trafford, he left me out of the squad for that reason. That’s your manager.”
“You can’t publicly disrespect him twice the way he has and get away with it.”
What Salah Did The Second Public Dig
The Anfield finale controversy was triggered by Salah’s social media post following Liverpool’s 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa on May 16.
He wrote that Liverpool must return to being a “heavy metal attacking team” and that the identity “cannot be negotiable everyone who joins this club should adapt to it.” It was widely read as a pointed attack on Slot’s tactical approach the second such public criticism this season.
In December, Salah had already said he had “no relationship” with Slot in post-match comments after a draw with Leeds.
Rooney’s Physical Verdict “His Legs Have Gone”
The Wayne Rooney comments went beyond just discipline. He questioned whether Salah could even play the football he is demanding.
“He wants heavy metal football he’s basically saying he wants Jurgen Klopp football. Now I don’t think Mo Salah can cope with that type of football anymore. I think his legs have gone, not fully gone, but to play at that high tempo and high intensity now is very difficult for him.”
Salah has managed just seven Premier League goals in 26 appearances this season — well below his peak output.
The Ferguson Parallel A Dressing Room Warning
Rooney’s Ferguson comparison carries real weight in the Premier League football debate around Slot’s authority.
He recalled that Ferguson’s willingness to drop even his greatest players including Rooney himself was central to maintaining dressing room discipline at the highest level.
“That’s where Slot has to pull rank,” Rooney insisted. The message: sentiment cannot override standards, even for a player of Salah’s stature.
Liverpool’s Bigger Problem The Quiet Anfield
The football pundit reaction from Rooney extended to Liverpool’s broader identity crisis this season.
“The first thing you want to do at Anfield is quieten the crowd. But Liverpool’s lack of pressing is actually quietening the crowd themselves and frustrating the fans,” he said. He suggested some squad members have “downed tools” during the difficult run a damaging accusation from a former player with deep experience of top-level dressing room dynamics.
Rooney Is Split on Slot’s Future
Despite his criticism of Salah, Rooney was notably measured about whether Slot should stay.
“He won the league last season. I think he deserves a bit more time,” Rooney said. “I’m quite split on should he go or should he stay.” The Liverpool FC latest news around Slot’s future will likely depend on how the season ends and whether he handles the Salah situation decisively.
What Slot Has Said
Despite the pressure, Slot has not taken the bait publicly. He previously said Salah “deserves a great farewell” and that fans giving him one game after game was “completely fine.”
He has not responded to Salah’s second social media dig. Whether the Mohamed Salah dropped from Anfield finale demand from Rooney influences Slot’s team selection for Brentford remains to be seen but every indication is that Salah will feature in some capacity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Was Salah Criticised After the Villa Defeat?
After Liverpool’s 4-2 loss to Aston Villa, Salah posted on X calling for the club to return to “heavy metal attacking football” and saying the identity “cannot be negotiable.” Wayne Rooney comments labelled this Salah’s second public attack on Slot this season — the first being his December claim that he had “no relationship” with the manager. Rooney called it deliberate disrespect that deserved consequences, making the case for Mohamed Salah dropped from Anfield finale as a disciplinary statement.
Is Salah Still a Top Professional at Liverpool?
Salah’s 2025-26 season has been underwhelming by his own standards seven Premier League goals in 26 appearances, two significant public criticisms of his manager, and a hamstring injury that disrupted his final weeks. Rooney argued his physical capacity to play the high-intensity style he is publicly demanding has diminished. However, Liverpool FC latest news confirms Slot has not indicated any intention to strip Salah of his farewell suggesting the club views his contribution over nine years as deserving a dignified exit regardless of the current tensions.
What Happened Between Salah and Slot Earlier This Season?
The Anfield finale controversy has roots in December 2025 when Salah made post-match comments suggesting he had “no relationship” with Arne Slot following a draw with Leeds. That first public incident drew widespread attention and was seen as an unusual breach of dressing room protocol. Slot downplayed it at the time. Salah’s second social media post after the Villa defeat on May 16 calling for a tactical identity shift is what prompted Rooney’s demand for Mohamed Salah dropped from Anfield finale and reignited the entire debate just one week before his scheduled farewell game.
