Mohamed Salah has issued a striking public demand for Liverpool to rediscover their attacking identity following Friday's heavy defeat at Aston Villa, taking a pop at Arne Slot's tactics.
The departing forward, who will play his final match for the club next weekend, posted a lengthy statement on social media calling for a return to the high-intensity approach associated with former manager Jurgen Klopp.
"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," Salah wrote.
The Egyptian described the 4-2 loss at Villa Park as "very painful" and said the club was "crumbling" under its current form.
Mohamed Salah demanded Liverpool return to their old tactics
|REUTERS
"That is the football I know how to play and that is the identity that needs to be recovered and kept for good," he added. "It cannot be negotiable."
Salah's teammates swiftly signalled their support for his message.
Curtis Jones responded by leaving a clapping emoji beneath the Instagram post before publishing his own statement.
"Thank you for your continued support in a disappointing season. It's way off the standards expected at this football club," the 25-year-old midfielder wrote.
The post attracted more than 324,000 likes, with numerous Liverpool squad members among them.
Mohamed Salah has taken aim at Arne Slot yet again
|REUTERS
Dominik Szoboszlai, Hugo Ekitike, Andy Robertson, Wataru Endo, Milos Kerkez, Giovanni Leoni, Jeremie Frimpong and Calvin Ramsay all endorsed Salah's words by liking the post.
Harvey Elliott, currently spending the campaign on loan at Villa, also liked his teammate's statement.
Notably, several of those showing support were players brought to Anfield by head coach Arne Slot himself.
The Villa Park defeat marked Liverpool's 19th loss across all competitions this season and their 12th in the Premier League alone.
The Villa Park defeat marked Liverpool's 19th loss across all competitions this season and their 12th in the Premier League alone.
Their defensive record has been particularly concerning, with 51 goals conceded in league matches so far – the highest total in any 38-game Premier League campaign in the club's history.
Liverpool currently sit fifth in the table, with Champions League qualification for next season still not secured.
The Reds could clinch a top-five finish in the coming days if Brighton and Bournemouth drop points, but otherwise must beat Brentford at Anfield on the final day to guarantee their place in Europe's premier club competition.
Slot acknowledged the supporters' frustration after the Villa defeat but insisted a summer transfer window and fresh start could transform the team's fortunes.
Salah will depart Anfield as one of the most successful players in Liverpool's history, having scored 257 goals in 441 appearances across nine seasons.
Only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt have found the net more often for the club.
During his time on Merseyside, the 33-year-old collected eight major honours, including two league titles and the 2019 Champions League triumph.
Arne Slot has come under pressure at Liverpool | GETTYHis relationship with Slot has been turbulent throughout the campaign. In December, following a 3-3 draw at Leeds where he was an unused substitute, Salah claimed he had been "thrown under the bus" and stated his relationship with the head coach had broken down.
He was subsequently omitted from the squad for a Champions League fixture at Inter Milan before being reintegrated after the Africa Cup of Nations.