The former Manchester United striker, 40, believes the 33-year-old forward’s public outburst after Liverpool’s 3-3 draw at Leeds United on Saturday (06.12.25) has left head coach Arne Slot with no choice but to assert his authority ahead of crucial fixtures.
Rooney said on his podcast the Wayne Rooney Show that Salah should not feature in Tuesday’s (09.12.25) Champions League game at Inter Milan or Saturday’s (13.12.25) Premier League match against Brighton and Hove Albion.
Speaking on his latest episode, he said: “Arne Slot has to show his authority and pull him in and say ‘you are not travelling with the team, what you said is not acceptable.’
“Take yourself off to Afcon and let everything calm down. If I was him there would be no way he would be in the team.”
Salah, who has scored 250 goals in 420 Liverpool appearances, has failed to start the last three matches and was an unused substitute at Elland Road.
After the game with Leeds, he told reporters: “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.
“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.”
Rooney said the comments were a mistake and questioned why Salah chose to make them public.
He said: “It needs to be sorted out quickly either way. He is absolutely destroying his legacy at Liverpool. It would be sad for him to throw it all away. He’s gone about it all wrong.”
Liverpool have struggled to match the level of Slot’s first season in charge.
They currently sit ninth in the table, 10 points behind leaders Arsenal, after winning just seven of their opening 15 league games.
Salah has scored four times in those 13 appearances, a sharp contrast to his 29 Premier League goals last season, which fired Liverpool to the title before he signed a new two-year contract in April.
Rooney said Salah’s remarks about not needing to “fight for [his] position” were disrespectful.
He added: “Time catches up with all of us, and this season he hasn’t looked at his best, at his sharpest.
“You want to see him roll his sleeves up and say ‘ok then, I’ll show you’. To have the arrogance to say he doesn’t have to earn his place… you need to be at your best every week.”
Rooney said that the situation risks unsettling Slot’s new-look squad.
He explained: “If I was one of his team-mates, I wouldn’t be happy at all. He’s been absolutely incredible for Liverpool, but this was disrespectful to his team-mates, manager and fans.
“I am sure over the next couple of years he will regret saying what he has.”
