Steven Gerrard has revealed the text message he sent Mohamed Salah after he publicly called out Arne Slot following Liverpool’s Premier League match against Leeds United in December.

Salah was furious after he was left on the bench for his side’s 3-3 draw at Elland Road. After the match, the Egyptian gave an explosive interview where he accused someone at Liverpool of ‘throwing him under the bus’ and said he now had ‘no relationship’ with Slot.

The 33-year-old was left out for Liverpool’s next match against Inter Milan but has started nearly every Liverpool match he has been available for ever since.

Steven Gerrard Sent Message to Mo Salah

Mohamed Salah in the Champions League

Mohamed Salah in the Champions League

Salah revealed last week that he is leaving Liverpool in the summer, putting an end to a highly successful nine-year stint at the club. Gerrard believes it is the right time for the Egyptian to leave. He said on the Overlap:

“No, not at all. I think it’s in everyone’s best interests. I think the timing is right in my opinion. Especially after the – he’s obviously had a disagreement with the manager. I don’t know at what level but he’s done the interview which I think he’ll regret further down the line.

“But that told me there was an issue there. I think also, even going back before that, Liverpool as a football club only wanted to give Mo Salah one year. Rather than the two, but because he had such an outstanding season and his numbers were great, they have given him a two-year.

“For me, I only ever saw it as a one-year at that level. We’ve all played in those years and I just think for everyone, it’s in everyone’s [best] interest for it to end, but also end on Mo Salah’s terms.”

Gerrard also revealed he got in contact with Salah after he slammed Slot. He continued:

“I spoke to him around that interview at the time and sort of said to him: ‘Don’t do what you’ve done and go under a cloud.’ I spoke to him direct.

“He texts me now and again, or I text him, more to do if I’m going somewhere with Leo. Just so Leo can see him. I’m not close to him, but it gave me the opportunity to say: ‘You’ve been here for eight or nine years, you’ve come here and got this legacy. Just go on your terms the right way’.”

When asked by Ian Wright how Salah responded to that conversation, Gerrard responded: “Still a little emotional from the incident. He was a sub and in and out of the team at the time. He was upset. But, I just thought it would have been a shame if he’d left in January.”

Gerrard Details Salah’s ‘Freakish’ Mentality

Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard

Salah has been heavily linked with moves to either the Saudi Pro League of the MLS, but Gerrard thinks the Liverpool legend could stay in Europe. He said:

“Knowing him, the relationship I’ve got with him, he’ll still have himself down as one of the best players in the world. I think that’s the reason why the fallout’s come about. He was probably struggling with the transition of a manager saying, ‘you’re not starting today’, (and he is thinking) ‘you what? Listen, I’m still one of the best players in the world’.”

“I think that’s his mentality, and there are good players, top players, and then those ones at the top that are a little bit freakish in terms of their mentality and how they think. He’s one of them, where he’s just: I’m the best, I’m the best, I’m the best.”

Question 1 of 5

What prompted Mohamed Salah to give an explosive interview criticizing someone at Liverpool?