Former England striker Wayne Rooney has said that Mohamed Salah's recent social media comments were "selfish", and that Liverpool boss Arne Slot should exclude him from the squad set to take on Brentford in their last Premier League match of the season.
Salah said on his X and Instagram posts that his side were "crumbling" in their 4-2 loss to Aston Villa on May 16 -- and need to return to a fearsome style of football after his departure in the summer.
"I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and back to being a team that wins trophies. That is the football I know how to play and that is the identity that needs to be recovered and kept for good," he said on Saturday.
The winger, who has won two Premier League titles and a Champions League at the club, added "It cannot be negotiable and everyone that joins this club should adapt to it" in his post.
"At the end of the day, Arne Slot is the manager of Liverpool. He's almost just dropped the grenade and said he doesn't trust and believe in Arne Slot, and almost thrown his teammates -- who are going to be there next season -- and let them have to deal with that as well and put them into a position."
Salah has scored some 191 goals in his Premier League tenure -- but just seven this term, and is set to return his lowest top flight output in a Liverpool shirt.
"I think time catches [Salah] ... He's had a very poor season," Rooney said.
"I think he can have these issues inside the club.
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"So I think he's been very selfish in what he's done in the two occasions. It's a shame, and fans will be on his side, but I think when you look deeper into it -- and having been in a dressing room in a similar situation to that as well -- Mo Salah knows exactly what he's doing, you've seen something a little bit when Ronaldo left Man United the second time.
"I've question Arne Slot as well, but that's your manager. You can't publicly disrespect him twice the way he has and get away with it. If I was Arne Slot, I'd have to pull rank and just say, listen -- you're not coming anywhere near the place on Saturday, whether you like it or not.
"I really doubt he will do it, but I think he should," Rooney added.
"Of course he deserves a good send off but does he deserve it just for this? It's the second time he's done it. it's just a shame to see one of the great icons... Leave the Premier League probably in this situation."
Salah has been benched four times in the league by Slot this term -- including two matches in December in which he was not substituted on at all.
Should Manchester City beat Bournemouth on Tuesday, Liverpool will welcome Bournemouth knowing that a top-five finish is already secure.
