What did Mo Salah say? Liverpool star's explosive interview in full after being benched at Leeds United

Joe Wright

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What did Mo Salah say? Liverpool star's explosive interview in full after being benched at Leeds United image

Mohamed Salah is one of Liverpool's greatest modern players and a true Premier League hall-of-famer.

The Egypt star's assist for Hugo Ekitike in a 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on December 13 took him to 280 goal involvements in England's top division.

That puts him third in the all-time standings, behind only Wayne Rooney (311) and Alan Shearer (324).

But it could be 280 and out for Salah. An explosive interview given earlier in December 2025 saw him omitted from the next Liverpool matchday squad and prompted intense speculation that his appearance against Brighton could now be his last in the red shirt.

AllSportsPeople looks at what Salah said, and why it caused such a storm.

MORE: Where Salah ranks among all-time Liverpool goal-scorers

What did Mo Salah say?

Salah criticised Liverpool and manager Arne Slot in a post-match interview after his team drew 3-3 with Leeds United on December 6.

It was the third straight game that the forward had started on the bench, and the second of those in which he did not see any time on the pitch.

Salah chose to speak to the assembled media at Elland Road as he felt the need to air his frustrations. He claimed he was being scapegoated for Liverpool's poor run of form, accused "someone" of wanting to force him out of the club, and said his relationship with Slot had become non-existent.

Below is the full exchange from an extraordinary interview.

Q: What were you thinking sat on the bench?

"I don't know what to say. It's funny, but I couldn't believe it. It is a really disappointing result for us as a team because we expect to win a game like that. We managed to score two goals in the beginning and the game was going in our direction, but we conceded silly goals. I'm not attacking my teammates because I was on the bench, but we conceded silly goals, as we did before. We just have to try to keep a clean sheet and win games."

Q: What couldn't you believe? "That I'm sitting on the bench for 90 minutes. The third time on the bench [in a row], I think for the first time in my career. I'm very, very disappointed, to be fair. 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. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That's how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.

MORE: Latest updates on Salah's future amid Saudi Arabia interest

"I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am in the bench for three games, so I can't say they keep the promise. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don't have any relationship. I don't know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn't want me in the club.

"This club, I always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much. I will always do. I called my mum yesterday — you guys didn't know if I would start or not, but I knew. Yesterday, I said to them [my family]: 'Come to the Brighton game. I don't know if I am going to play or not, but I am going to enjoy it.' 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 to Africa Cup of Nations. I don't know what is going to happen when I am there."

Q: What do you do with the situation now? "It is not acceptable for me. I don't know why this is happening to me. I don't get it. I think if this was somewhere else, every club would protect its player. How I see it now is like, you throw Mo under the bus because he is the problem in the team now. But I don't think I am the problem. I have done so much for this club. The respect, I want to get. I don't have to go every day fighting for my position because I earned it. I am not bigger than anyone, but I earned my position. It's football. It is what it is."

Q: Have you played your last game for Liverpool? "In football, you never know. I don't accept this situation. I have done so much for this club."

Q: How frustrated are you? "With respect, I love everyone. I love [Erling] Haaland, I will talk about him. I am the current top goal-scorer in the Premier League [from last season]. He is not yet. He is going to win it hopefully, and that is fine for him. I love him and he knows that. I am top goal-scorer, best player, winning the league in such a style, but I am the one who has to defend himself in front of the media and fans."

Q: Does this hurt you more? "Absolutely. After what I have done for the club, it really hurts. You can imagine, really. After going from home to the club, and you don't know if you are starting. I know the club too well; I have been here many years. Tomorrow, [Jamie] Carragher is going to go for me again and again, and that's fine."

Question on Saudi Arabia transfer interest: "I don't want to answer this question, because the club is going to take me to a different direction."

Q: Is the situation impossible now to solve? "I cannot say it is impossible, but from what I feel, I have done so much for the club, I love the fans and the club so much, but I don't know what is going to happen next."

Q: Is it doubly frustrating that you didn't even come on? "I have been at this club, scoring more than anyone in this generation, since I came to the Premier League, I don't think anyone has scored more goals and made more assists than me. In the whole Premier League. If I am somewhere else, everybody would go to the media and defend the players. I am the only one in this situation. I remember a while ago, Harry Kane was not scoring for 10 games, [and] everyone in the media was like, 'Oh, Harry will score for sure'. When it comes to Mo, everyone is like, 'He needs to be on the bench'. I am sorry, Harry."

Q: When you say about someone wanting you out, who? "I don't know. I don't know. I really don't know."

Q: The sporting director? "No, no, don't put the words in my mouth. From the situation I see that's it."

Q: Had anyone sort of communicated and explained the situation to you? Have you actually asked for that? "I did. I did, but I don't see an explanation. Like I knew yesterday that I was not going to play and that's it, so [I] take it and swallow it and go home."

Q: Were you told personally you weren't going to be playing by Arne? "Yeah, he told me yesterday and [I] had a meeting with him."

Q: Did you let your feelings be known then, you were disappointed? "He knows my feeling. He knows my feeling."

Q: Do you regret signing that contract [in April 2025]? "Imagine how bad that I have to answer it, honestly. That hurts, even the question hurts. This club, signing for this club, I will never regret it. I thought I'm going to renew here and end my career here, but this is not according to the plan, so I'm not regretting signing for the club for sure."

Q: You're one of the greatest players in Liverpool's history. Can you believe it might end like this? "Somehow it will end, but the thing in my head is like, why it should end this way? Because I am too fit. Just five months ago I was just winning every individual award, so why should it go this direction I'm sorry everybody in a team is not in his form, yet I'm the one who has to defend himself now."

Q: Is now the next step for you to [speak with] Arne again? "No, I don't think so. We spoke a lot."

Q: Has the relationship broken down? "Yeah, there's no relationship between us. It was [a] very good relationship and now all of a sudden there is no relationship."

Q: Has something changed behind the scenes? "You guys know better than me. I don't know."

Q: Do you feel let down from teammates as well? "No, no, no. These guys, they know how much I love them. They know how much I support them, even inside before the game, after the game. I'm an experienced player; I've been in their position. I always support them, I always give them experience. But no, no, the players, they're not connected to the situation. Even they support me so much, so there's just much love between us as players and respect."

Senior Editor

Editorial Team