The reaction across social media has been intense ever since Mohamed Salah’s emotional interview after Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United, which was reported by SoftFootball. His comments came on the back of several worrying weeks that SoftFootball had already reported on, including their late escape at Sunderland.
SoftFootball later broke down the full interview and how the forward admitted his relationship with Arne Slot had collapsed. Fans online quickly connected that to his third straight Premier League game on the bench and his hint that the Brighton match might be his farewell before the Africa Cup of Nations.
The reaction from neutrals and Liverpool supporters was raw, emotional and, in many cases, furious.
@wagerkingz_, who is not even a Liverpool supporter, tried to capture how strange and unfair the situation looks from the outside. He felt the treatment of Salah simply does not match his status.
He wrote:
I’m not even a Liverpool fan but the way they treat their legend is just brutal man.
@Crickfeeds tried to highlight that Salah is saying things most footballers would never dare to say in public. He argued that players at the top level are judged with different standards and that Salah is punished in discussions far more quickly than others.
He wrote:
Salah saying what a lot of players think but never say out loud. Different standards, different narratives. When a striker out of form is due a goal, but Mo is finished after two quiet games that double standard speaks volumes.
@PauluzRFRM questioned why Slot seems unable to manage Salah in the same protective way he handles other big names. He mentioned how often the manager publicly defends players like Isak and Wirtz and wondered why Salah is not shown the same patience.
He wrote:
Many players have been contained… why can’t Slot deal with Salah until he gets his form back? He’s out defending Isak and Wirtz at all the time btw.
@BEANlE emphasised how much Salah has meant to Liverpool, calling out what he felt was a lack of respect. He said this because he believes the club owes him more loyalty after everything he has delivered.
His post read:
Salah has every right to feel that way he’s carried Liverpool for nearly a decade. Put some respect on his name.
Others took a broader view, pointing out that neither the club nor the pundits have protected him.
@SamPeterToT summed up years of frustration by writing:
Salah deserved more protection from the club AND the pundits. He’s carried too much weight for too long.
And perhaps the most emotional reaction came from @KaluKakaPunu, who felt the whole situation looks like a farewell tour for someone who built the modern Liverpool era.
He wrote:
Crazy how the man who built an era has to treat Anfield like a goodbye tour. Liverpool fumbled their icon.
From the anger to the sadness, the message across social media was clear. Fans believe something has gone very wrong, and for many, Salah’s words felt like the beginning of the end of a golden chapter.
