Mohamed Salah: Liverpool forward believes someone at club does not want him there

In an explosive interview, Mohamed Salah has plunged his Liverpool future into doubt and suggested next Saturday's game against Brighton could be his last for the club.

The Liverpool star claimed after Saturday's 3-3 draw at Leeds that "the club has thrown me under the bus", adding his relationship with Arne Slot had broken down and that "someone doesn't want me in the club".

Salah told journalists he was in disbelief he had been left on the bench for the third game running and Slot did not see fit to bring him on at Elland Road as the champions twice blew a lead.

"I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season," said Salah, who signed a new deal at Anfield at the end of 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 is 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 on 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."

Salah goes to AFCON with Egypt on December 15 with the Brighton game at Anfield next Saturday his final game for Liverpool before the tournament.

The 33-year-old, who has been linked with a January move to the Saudi Pro League, has raised doubts over whether he will play for the club again after the tournament.

"I said to [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 the Africa cup. I don't know what is going to happen when I am there."

Asked if it could be his final game for Liverpool, Salah said: "In football you never know. I don't accept this situation. I have done so much for this club."

Key parts of Salah's bombshell interview

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.

It's not only [about] us, it is also the team we face. In the last games I saw of them, they made it hard for [Man] City in the second half. I saw the same against Chelsea.

"We try to adapt as best as we can to their strength and hopefully we can hurt them."

What couldn't you 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. 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 is 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 on 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, 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 the Africa cup. I don't know what is going to happen when I am there."

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."

Last game for Liverpool?

"In football you never know. I don't accept this situation. I have done so much for this club."

What Slot said about Salah benching

Slot said he had chosen to leave Salah on the bench for a third game running because he wanted to adapt to make sure his team could cope with Leeds' strengths.

"It is never an easy decision because we know what a great player he is. It is up to me to pick the team I think we need today, that is why I made the decision."

He added: It's not only [about] us, it is also the team we face. In the last games I saw of them, they made it hard for City in the second half. I saw the same against Chelsea.

"We try to adapt as best as we can to their strength and hopefully we can hurt them."

Asked what the future held for Salah after he chose to leave him on the bench as an unused substitute, Slot added: "We have to accept the situation we are in and I make my decisions based on that.

"The short term future of Mo is that he goes to AFCON in a week but before that we play Inter and Brighton."

Where could Salah go next?

Sky Sports News' Kaveh Solhekol:

"I think the reason he's doing this is just because he's upset about being dropped.

"He feels Liverpool have been playing badly, he feels some fans and media have blamed him unfairly for what's going wrong at Liverpool this season and he's been made the fall guy.

"I have no problem with a player doing that. We're all human. We want players to be honest when they speak to us [in the media].

"But when you take the emotion out of what he's said, from Liverpool's perspective, this changes nothing.

"He's still a Liverpool player, he signed a new two-year contract. Apparently he earns around £400,000 a week. He's 33 years old, what options does he have? Who can afford to sign him? Who can afford to pay him those kinds of wages?

"Liverpool would be able to let him blow it out, get it off his chest. If they feel they need to fine him, perhaps that's something they'll do. But in reality this doesn't change that much."

...