Neville Slams Salah for 'Detonating Grenade' at Slot as Liverpool's Season Crumbles

Gary Neville has rounded on Mohamed Salah for what he sees as a calculated broadside against Arne Slot, accusing the Egyptian of lobbing an explosive device into the dressing room on his way out the door.

Villa's demolition of Liverpool—a 4-2 hammering that represents the Reds' 12th league defeat this season—has intensified the pressure on Slot's position. Despite the fanbase's growing restlessness, FSG have publicly committed to keeping the Dutch manager in place for next season.

That backing has taken on fresh significance following Chelsea's announcement that they've secured Xabi Alonso on a four-year deal. The former Liverpool midfielder had been widely tipped as the leading candidate to replace Slot at Anfield, only for the Blues to act decisively and move him to Stamford Bridge instead.

It was during Chelsea's FA Cup final clash with Manchester City—won by Guardiola's side courtesy of Antoine Semenyo's decisive goal—that Salah chose his moment to air his grievances on social media.

"I have witnessed this club go from doubters to believers, and from believers to champions," the forward posted on X. "It took hard work and I always did everything I could to help the club get there. Nothing makes me prouder than that."

Salah went on to lament Liverpool's latest setback, describing it as "very painful" before outlining his vision for the club's future. "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," he wrote.

"That is the football I know how to play and that is the identity that needs to be recovered and kept for good. It cannot be negotiable and everyone that joins this club should adapt to it. Winning some games here and there is not what Liverpool should be about. All teams win games."

Salah concluded by reaffirming his emotional connection to the club while stressing that Champions League qualification represented the bare minimum for next season.

Neville's Verdict

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Neville pulled no punches in his assessment. "He's pulled the pin out of a grenade and just thrown it in the middle of the room on his way out," the former United defender said. "It's not great; if he's a Manchester United player I would be fuming."

Neville acknowledged, however, that silencing a player of Salah's calibre and personality is simply not realistic. "What you can never do with this type of character and this type of personality and this stature of player is keep them quiet," he explained. "They've got something to say, they're going to say it, and they're going to say it at the point where maybe you don't want to hear it. It was a telling comment."

While Neville conceded that Slot would hardly welcome such an intervention, he suggested the manager's immediate priority is simply navigating to the end of the campaign before overseeing a squad refresh.

Interestingly, the pundit believes Chelsea's move for Alonso signals that Liverpool intend to stick with Slot. "Signing Xabi Alonso this morning did tell me that I think Liverpool are going to keep the manager next season, which I'm happy about," Neville said.

He argued that a manager who won the league just twelve months prior deserves the chance to recover from a difficult season, particularly with Champions League football still within reach. "I genuinely think that a manager who's won the league 12 months ago deserves an opportunity to get it right, having had a more challenging season this time, but he's still in the Champions League."

Neville concluded by suggesting Liverpool have bigger fish to fry than seeking external advice, though he couldn't resist labelling Salah's parting shot as unhelpful. "It's for Liverpool to worry about their own problems. I don't think they need Gary Neville telling them what to do, but it was a telling comment from Mo Salah, and something that won't be helpful."