“I couldn’t believe I sat on the bench for the entire match,” Mohamed Salah said after failing to come on during Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United on December 6. “It’s happened three times now. I think it’s the first time in my career. I’m very disappointed. I’ve given so much to this club over the years, especially last season. It feels like the club has thrown me under the bus.”
His comments made it clear he believes Arne Slot has treated him unfairly.
Since arriving from Roma in 2017, Salah has been a cornerstone of Liverpool’s success and a true Anfield icon — but his exit now seems unavoidable, and his public grievances may only accelerate that outcome.
Signing him wasn’t without risk given his struggles at Chelsea, but Jurgen Klopp — persuaded that he’d offer more than Julian Brandt — transformed him into a world-class goalscorer.
Salah continued that form in Slot’s inaugural season, helping deliver Liverpool’s second Premier League title with four games to spare. Yet now, he is no longer one of Slot’s untouchables. And beyond Salah’s situation, there are five other Liverpool players whom Slot arguably hasn’t treated fairly. From premature sales to players who haven’t received their due credit, here’s a closer look at those cases.
Andy Robertson
Liverpool’s full-back setup was shaken up in the summer: Trent Alexander-Arnold left for Real Madrid, while Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong arrived. Andy Robertson stayed, but his minutes have dwindled.
Kerkez’s signing raised questions about Robertson’s role — but with the Hungarian struggling at left-back this season, why hasn’t the experienced Scotsman been trusted more? A respected leader and one of the Premier League’s best left-backs of the modern era, Robertson has a strong case to reclaim his spot. Yet he has started only 20% of Liverpool’s Premier League matches this season.
Jarell Quansah
Quansah’s move to Bayer Leverkusen left fans baffled. The 22-year-old had huge potential, and with Van Dijk and Konate lacking chemistry, he could have been eased into the starting rotation.
Thomas Tuchel’s interest in him highlights his talent, but Slot seemed unconvinced. In Slot’s first Premier League game, Quansah was subbed off at half-time, with the manager pointing to failed duels as his reasoning. After that, Quansah was mostly restricted to low-stakes fixtures before being sold — a decision that now looks questionable.
Wataru Endo
Endo has become one of Liverpool’s forgotten men. A reliable performer under Klopp, he has barely featured under Slot. Since the season began, he has logged only 242 minutes across all competitions.
With Liverpool leaking goals and lacking a true defensive midfielder, Endo’s absence is puzzling. His work rate and positional discipline could address many of the team’s current issues.
Federico Chiesa
Liverpool are currently short on players who can grab a match by the scruff of the neck — something Chiesa regularly brings when given the chance. Energetic, direct, and fearless, he quickly built a rapport with fans. But that hasn’t resulted in more minutes.
Despite only playing 143 Premier League minutes, he’s been one of Liverpool’s brighter performers this season. Slot’s praise after Chiesa’s last-second block against Sunderland — “that’s what you want from a player” — only highlighted that he’s being underused. Supporters believe he deserves far more faith from the manager.
Harvey Elliott
Harvey Elliott’s Liverpool journey has hit a difficult phase. After progressing from the academy and winning two Premier League titles, he found himself marginalized under Slot.
Last season, he managed just 822 minutes — with only 360 in the league — as Slot consistently picked Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, and even Curtis Jones ahead of him. Elliott wanted to fight for his place, but he was sent out on loan to Aston Villa on deadline day, and Slot admitted he’s had little communication with the midfielder since.
Salah may feel Slot has treated him unfairly — but he’s not alone. Several Liverpool players have also been overlooked, mishandled, or undervalued as the club navigates a turbulent new era.
