Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson are set to bid farewell to the Anfield faithful on Sunday, in what was supposed to be a joyous occasion but events over the past week seem to have cast a dark cloud over it.
Tensions brewing at Liverpool
Last Friday night saw Liverpool fall to defeat against fellow Champions League hopefuls, Aston Villa, in an embarrassing fashion, losing 4-2 at Villa Park, their 12th league defeat this campaign.
It meant that Unai Emery’s side secured qualification to Europe’s premier competition for next season, regardless of the outcome of their Europa League final against Freiburg.
Liverpool, on the other hand, were made to sweat another few days, quite possibly until the final day of the season – a sizeable fall from the dizzying, title-winning heights of last season.
While Salah and Robertson applauded the travelling Kop for the final time, the bubbling toxicity was proving difficult to contain, aimed primarily at head coach Arne Slot, and not for the first time this season.
Having won the Premier League title in his first season, Slot has since become the face of far too many unwanted records for the Reds, the most recent consisting of the most goals conceded in a Premier League campaign since its inception (52).
Enough was enough, and what followed threatens not only to de-rail Sunday’s occasion, but also Slot’s future at the club.
Slot vs Salah – The rematch
Following a dramatic 3-3 draw at Leeds, Salah, who started from the bench for the third consecutive time, opted for a rare post-match interview.
Despite only scoring four league goals prior to the interview, Salah claimed that he had been “thrown under the bus” and not so subtly indicated that he may have played his final game for the club.
His time at the AFCON shortly after the interview allowed for the dust to settle and for Salah and Slot to clear the air upon his return, agreeing to continue at the club before announcing his departure a few weeks later.
Last week, Salah took to social media to voice his concerns, this time to commend former manager Jurgen Klopp for turning those at the club from “doubters to believers”, before imploring that Liverpool return to being a “heavy metal attacking team.”
If his interview at Elland Road was a thinly-veiled insult to Slot, his comments after the Villa game was a direct assault to the Dutchman.
There appears to be a total breakdown in relationship between player and manager, with the latter desperate to reach the end of the campaign.
Fallout emboldened by the throes of modern football
If Salah’s comments were not bad enough, the influence of social media did the rest.
His post was liked by Robertson, whose comments on his own Instagram account appeared to be more neutral, keeping the fans at the centre of his feelings.
Salah’s Liverpool teammates piled on the likes, with Curtis Jones, Milos Kerkez, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch among the masses.
What arguably twisted the knife in Slot’s back was the reaction from former players, including skipper Jordan Henderson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jarell Quansah.
They may well have only liked the post because they, like the Egyptian, have struggled to bear witness to the collapse of a club so close to them, but the subjective nature of social media won’t reveal the truth and only dial up the pressure on Slot.
So how will Anfield fare on the final day of the season, as they welcome a Brentford side featuring both Henderson and Caoimhin Kelleher?
Anfield expected to back the players
If the atmosphere inside Anfield is anything like it was during Klopp’s farewell two years ago, Salah and Robertson will close their Liverpool chapter with great fondness.
However, if the Reds fall victim to conceding the first goal of the game, as they have too many times this season, the atmosphere could change very quickly.
A blistering start from the players on Sunday will be just what the doctor ordered, especially having effectively secured Champions League qualification, following Bournemouth’s draw against Man City on Tuesday.
The pressure will be off, and Liverpool will still have an opportunity to finish in the top four.
Before the arrival of Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool experienced a lot of managerial upheaval but Anfield would never waver in their backing of the team, regardless of who is in the dugout.
Barring extraordinary circumstances, that bond isn’t expected to be broken.
Salah and Robertson may feel overshadowed ahead of their farewell, but Sunday’s turnout will reassure them that it very much isn’t directed at two of their greatest servants this century.
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