'A towering inferno' - National media react to Mohamed Salah's bombshell Liverpool interview

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Echo or go back to LFC Live.

How the national media reacted after Mohamed Salah claimed he has been "thrown under the bus" by Liverpool after not starting a third successive game under Arne Slot in Saturday's 3-3 draw with LeedsLiverpool were pegged back twice by a stubborn Leeds United on Saturday evening as they clinched a 3-3 draw in the closing stages at Elland Road.Having initially trailed 2-0 to Hugo Ekitike's double, the hosts responded through Dominic Calvert-Lewin's penalty before Anton Stach levelled up two minutes later.And after a classy Dominik Szoboszlai goal looked to have given the Reds a battling three points, Ao Tanaka registered Leeds' third in the final seconds to earn a share of the spoils for Daniel Farke's men.All of that, though, was merely a prelude to the main event as Mohamed Salah shocked the football world, post-match, by declaring that he has been "thrown under the bus" by Liverpool and also revealing that his relationship with Arne Slot has now totally broken down.READ MORE: Egypt FA send clear Mohamed Salah message after bombshell Liverpool interviewREAD MORE: Michael Owen makes Mohamed Salah feelings clear after Liverpool outburst - 'Bite your lip!'It was bombshell interview that leaves Liverpool supporters wondering what both the short and long-term future holds for the third highest scorer in club history.The ECHO, of course, have given their verdict on the developments. How depressing."In the space of a handful of short but premeditated and deliberately impactful sentences he has brought more pain, stress and misery to the door of his manager Arne Slot and brought his own Anfield legacy into question in the process."Just an hour after the whistle had blown on Liverpool’s 3-3 draw at Leeds, Salah accused Slot of throwing him ‘under the bus’ and spoke of having ‘no relationship’ with his manager."The second part of that may be true.

It is that impeccable sense of timing which has propelled the Egypt international to dizzying heights on the football pitch, where he has - over the past eight-and-a-half years - cemented his status as a true Liverpool great."Likewise, Salah's track record for rare but often explosive interactions with the media indicates that the forward knew exactly how much carnage he would trigger by telling reporters he had been 'thrown under the bus' by his club amid their torrid recent run of results."After Liverpool twice surrendered their lead in a six-goal thriller that ended 3-3 against newly promoted Leeds United, it is almost inconceivable that a player who watched the whole affair from the bench should dominate the postmatch headlines. Last term, Salah pointed to Slot's willingness to absolve him of defensive responsibilities as one of the reasons for his scintillating form."In February, the 33-year-old's notoriously outspoken agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, took to social media to publicly praise Slot, describing the Dutchman as being 'excellent at his job.'"Now, though, with Liverpool having won just four of their last 15 games in all competitions, it is clear that Salah has no intention of being the scapegoat for the club's drastic fall from grace."The Athletic's James Pearce pens: "On the previous occasion Mohamed Salah publicly vented his frustration over being relegated to bench duty at Liverpool, he limited himself to seven words."'If I speak, there will be fire,' he said without breaking stride after a bust-up with Jurgen Klopp on the touchline as he waited to come on against West Ham United at the London Stadium in April 2024."But when the Egypt forward emerged from the away dressing room at Elland Road on Saturday evening and made a beeline for reporters it was crystal clear that he was in no mood to keep his counsel.

The third-highest goalscorer in the club’s history was calm and composed throughout. 'Thank you, guys,' he said at the end of a remarkable seven-and-a-half minutes."As Salah walked away, he left a towering inferno in his wake."On The Telegraph's pages, Sam Wallace writes: "Of all the things he could have done, Mohamed Salah must surely have known that for a Liverpool manager under pressure, and a club in trouble, this was among the most damaging of them all."It was an extraordinary eruption from one of the greats of English football who has barely uttered a word to the media in 10 years. And few respond in this manner, even if some allowances can be made given his outstanding contribution over the last years."Evidently the prospect of becoming a squad player – albeit one that would presumably feature more often than not – does not sit easily with the Egyptian."The question now is whether Salah has burned his bridges not only with Slot but also the Liverpool hierarchy, with whom he clearly has taken issue over what he believes are broken promises from the summer."The ECHO's post-match talking point from Elland Road is also dedicated to Salah's interview: "Salah didn't just rock the boat, he turned it stern first towards an enormous iceberg.