Arne Slot will be 'undermined' at Liverpool if Mohamed Salah gets farewell game
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Liverpool FC NewsFeaturesMohamed SalahLiverpool forward Mohamed Salah caused plenty of controversy over the weekend when he posted a social media message aimed at Arne Slot and his style of play at AnfieldLiverpool forward Mohamed Salah is leaving the club(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)Former Premier League winger Andros Townsend has claimed that Arne Slot can't afford to field Mohamed Salah one final time in a Reds jersey or his authority in the locker room will be undermined.Salah took to social media on Saturday to effectively claim that Liverpool has lost direction and needs a fresh style of play, just days before he departs for pastures new. The Egyptian announced during the international break that he will be heading off a year before his contract expires after both parties came to an agreement."I don't think you can include him," Townsend said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.
"I don't care what the fans are going to say; they're going to disagree with you anyway, they want you out anyway.READ MORE: Jamie Carragher slams 'selfish' Mohamed Salah for dropping another bomb on LiverpoolREAD MORE: Liverpool transfer news and rumors today LIVE: Guardiola exit, Diomande decision, Camara move"But you can't have a player undermine you like that because then next season, when Salah is not there, all the other players are going to remember it and start undermining him as well."You have to nip it in the bud. You have to say, 'Listen, I know you want your farewell, but you haven't been professional — on and off the pitch — I'm not going to play you.' I think that's the only choice."Townsend is not the only pundit to have made such a suggestion.
Wayne Rooney said something similar on his podcast, though Jamie Carragher outlined his thoughts that Salah was out of line, but would ultimately be involved.Mohamed Salah has turned up the heat on Liverpool boss Arne Slot(Image: Getty Images)If Slot were to leave Salah out, that would only create more headlines when the Dutchman's position is already being widely discussed."Yeah, it's a bit of a snakey thing to do, isn't it?" fellow guest Chris Sutton said when he was asked about Salah."He knows the damage that's going to do to Slot. He knows Slot isn't popular with a large section of the Liverpool fanbase, and he wants to destroy him."Why else would he have done that?