Home » Premier League » Liverpool fans have been left stunned after reports surfaced that Liverpool star will be dropped ahead of their next match. The star player has been described as “lost” on the pitch in recent weeks, with pundits claiming he’s struggling to find his rhythm under Arne Slot.

Liverpool fans have been left stunned after reports surfaced that Liverpool star will be dropped ahead of their next match. The star player has been described as “lost” on the pitch in recent weeks, with pundits claiming he’s struggling to find his rhythm under Arne Slot.

Salah's Anfield Agony: 'Lost' Star Faces Brutal Verdict as Slot's Liverpool Spiral Deepens

by Dandozzy

Liverpool, October 7, 2025 – Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian talisman who propelled Liverpool to Premier League glory just six months ago, finds himself at a crossroads. Once untouchable, the 33-year-old forward is now the focal point of mounting scrutiny after a dismal start to the 2025-26 campaign that’s left him “lost” on the pitch and facing whispers of the bench. As Arne Slot’s Reds reel from three straight defeats – including Saturday’s gut-wrenching 2-1 loss at Chelsea – former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has delivered a damning assessment: Salah is “about to get dropped” if his form doesn’t rebound. The comments, aired on ‘The Wayne Rooney Show’ podcast, have ignited a firestorm among fans and pundits, amplifying fears that Liverpool’s title defense is crumbling under the weight of transition.

The Chelsea debacle at Stamford Bridge encapsulated Salah’s woes. In a match billed as a litmus test for both managers, Slot’s side started brightly but faltered, conceding early to Moisés Caicedo’s 35th-minute rocket before Salah mustered an equalizer in the 60th minute – a poacher’s finish from Cody Gakpo’s cutback that briefly hinted at vintage Mo. Yet, the script flipped in stoppage time when teenage sensation Estêvão Willian slotted home Cole Palmer’s through ball, handing Enzo Maresca’s Blues a statement win and plunging Liverpool into crisis. Salah, who touched the ball just 42 times (his lowest in a league start since 2017), completed a solitary successful dribble all season and coughed up possession 15 times against Chelsea alone – part of a league-high 105 turnovers through 10 games.

Rooney, never one to mince words, pulled no punches. “He’s been so far off it. Look at that Chelsea game – he’s not tracking back, not helping the right-back, just standing there waiting for the ball,” the 39-year-old fumed. “Liverpool are getting exposed on that flank because of him. Slot’s got to make a statement; drop him for a game, bring in Chiesa or Diaz centrally. Mo’s ego might take a hit, but that’s how you fix it. He’s about to get dropped if this continues.”6a6178 Rooney’s critique echoes a growing chorus. Danny Murphy, a Liverpool legend turned BBC analyst, labeled Salah a “little problem” in Slot’s system, pointing to his reluctance to defend as a mismatch against high-pressing sides like Chelsea. “The setup behind him isn’t helping, but Mo’s got to contribute more. Against better teams, that space on the right is a highway,” Murphy wrote.5d26fc Sky Sports’ Radar column noted Salah’s “significant drop-off,” attributing it partly to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s summer exit to Real Madrid, which robbed the winger of his most creative supplier.e3dd01 Without Trent’s visionary crosses – 12 assists to Salah last season – the Egyptian’s xG (expected goals) has plummeted from 0.82 per 90 minutes to 0.45.

Slot’s honeymoon, already strained by a Champions League group-stage benching of Salah against Galatasaray last month, is officially over.60f598 The Dutchman, who cited “squad utilization” for that omission, now faces calls for ruthlessness. Football365 speculated that Marc Cucurella’s post-match revelation – admitting Chelsea targeted Liverpool’s right flank knowing Salah wouldn’t track back – should force Slot’s hand: “Drop him, Arne. The data doesn’t lie.”5d8517 Conor Bradley, filling Trent’s void, was hooked at halftime against Chelsea after Garnacho’s relentless raids left him isolated. Salah’s heat map from the game? Clustered high and wide, with zero tackles or interceptions – a far cry from his heroic 2024-25, where he netted 32 goals and assisted 22.

The numbers paint a stark picture. Salah’s three goals and three assists in 10 league outings lag his blistering pace from last term, when he was the league’s top scorer and assist king. His dribble success rate sits at a woeful 28% (down from 52%), and he’s lost duels at a 61% clip – exposing Liverpool’s right side to counters. Social media has erupted, with viral posts mocking his “1 successful dribble” stat and tagging Saudi clubs like Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, fueling rumors of a lucrative exit as his contract winds down.ff7d87 One X user quipped: “Salah’s lost more balls than a juggler at a funeral.”dd0caa Fans, though, are divided; #ProtectMo trends alongside #DropSalah, with Anfield faithful decrying the “ungrateful” pile-on after his title-winning heroics.

Slot, ever the pragmatist, downplayed the drama in his Monday briefing but hinted at tweaks. “Mo’s our leader, but football demands balance. We’re addressing the right-flank issues – more support from midfield,” he said, name-dropping Federico Chiesa and Luis Díaz as potential rotations.2b8e76 Yet, with Liverpool slipping to third – six points behind leaders Manchester City – and a daunting Arsenal trip looming post-break, patience is fraying. FSG’s measured spending, exemplified by £100m on Florian Wirtz (who’s flopped with zero goals) and Alexander Isak, contrasts the Klopp era’s dynamism, leaving Slot to juggle egos and expectations.

Salah himself remains defiant, posting a cryptic Instagram story: “Storms pass. Focus on the horizon.” Privately, sources say he’s urged Slot for a tactical shift, echoing Murphy’s call for quicker midfield help. But as Rooney warns, the horizon darkens if results don’t follow. Liverpool’s next test? A Champions League clash with AC Milan on October 22, where another blank could seal Salah’s temporary exile.

This isn’t just a slump; it’s an identity crisis for a club synonymous with Salah’s sorcery. From Cairo kid to Anfield deity, Mo’s journey has weathered worse – a 2023-24 dip saw Jürgen Klopp bench him amid contract rows, only for a 25-goal resurgence.2b09b2 At 33, age whispers of decline, but his international form (four goals in Egypt’s World Cup qualifiers) suggests fire remains. Slot’s dilemma: Harness the king or risk the kingdom fracturing? As Rooney put it, “He’s lost right now, but dropping him might be the wake-up call.” For Liverpool, the break can’t come soon enough – redemption awaits, or ruin.

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