Mohamed Salah has accused Liverpool of making him a scapegoat for the team's poor start to the season, after being left on the bench for the third consecutive match in Saturday's 3-3 draw at Leeds United. The Egyptian forward, who has scored only four Premier League goals this season, expressed deep disappointment and suggested his time at the club may be coming to an end.
“I can’t believe … I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes,” Salah said. “The third time on the bench, I think for the first time in my career. I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season. Now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why.” He added: “It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling.”
Salah, who was last season's PFA and FWA Player of the Year and has been the Premier League's top scorer four times, hinted that next week's home game against Brighton could be his last for Liverpool. After that, he will join up with Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. “In my head, I’m going to enjoy that game because I don’t know what is going to happen now. I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go the Africa Cup,” he said.
The 32-year-old also criticised the club for not defending him publicly, contrasting his treatment with that of Harry Kane during a goal drought at Tottenham. “I got a lot of promises and so far I am on the bench for three games so I can’t say they have kept the promise,” Salah said. “The respect, I want to get. I don’t have to go every day fighting for my position because I earned it.”
