Mohamed Salah has expressed disappointment at being benched in consecutive English Premier League (EPL) matches following Liverpool’s 3-3 draw at Leeds United.
In an interview with journalists after Saturday’s game, the forward disclosed his bench role means he is being blamed for the struggling EPL champions’ poor season.
Liverpool have failed to win eight of 15 EPL matches, claiming maximum points just twice in the past 10 games, a far cry from their all-conquering form last season.
Salah had started all league games in the poor run until recently. He has been benched in the last three matches, and did not feature in two of them, a situation 33-year-old Salah find surprising after scoring 188 league goals since joining the club in 2017.
The self-proclaimed Egyptian king reckoned that he is being blamed for the poor run of form, and his new bench role means Liverpool have failed to keep their promise after signing a two-year contract extension in the summer.
“[I can’t believe] that I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes! The third time on the bench, I think for the first time in my career,” he said.
“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.
“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.”
Salah added that he now feels he does not have “any relationship” with the manager following his reduced role in the team, and thinks he is being targeted to leave the club he loves.
“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,” he said.
“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, come to the Brighton game [on 13 December]. 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.”
The Egyptian national team captain, who will be participating at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, added, “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”.