Should Arne Slot drop Mohamed Salah for his Liverpool farewell? We asked five Athletic writers

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Instead, another public outburst from Salah last weekend — this time, the most thinly veiled of attacks on Slot’s style of play — has created an awkward question for the head coach and club executives: how do they handle the forward’s farewell now? Wayne Rooney, for one, believes Liverpool should drop Salah from their matchday squad for the Brentford game, but that is a risky strategy when so much of that occasion will focus on saying goodbye to him and Andy Robertson. We asked five of Athletic writers for their verdicts on how the club should handle a treacherous situation. First of all, the idea that every great player gets a rapturous send-off feels a little naive. Everyone wants a perfect ending, but in reality circumstances and strained relationships often dictate otherwise. Second, the idea that a messy goodbye would in some way tarnish Salah’s legacy is absurd. Twenty years on, how many people remember Sir Alex Ferguson axing Ruud van Nistelrooy from the squad for what would have been his final game for Manchester United? That doesn’t shape Van Nistelrooy’s legacy at Old Trafford. It’s a footnote, nothing more. Third, pragmatically, I really don’t think it’s worth Slot going to war over this. As much as Salah’s words were loaded — and I felt he was pointing the finger at underperforming team-mates, some of whom have “liked” his Instagram post, as well as the coach — they didn’t strike me as something that merited disciplinary action. What would Slot gain from leaving him out on Sunday? Authority? I really don’t think so. Denying Salah a farewell appearance would go down badly among some of the other players and terribly among the supporters. Finally, it is all so regrettable. This time last year, after winning the Premier League in Slot’s first season in charge, Liverpool looked so unified. With hindsight, that would have been the perfect time for Salah to ride off into the sunset. This season has been an unedifying struggle for all concerned; whatever his frustrations, Salah’s declining contribution, both on and off the ball, is among numerous reasons why talk of playing “heavy metal football” is pie in the sky. Whatever happens in his final week as a Liverpool player, his legacy at Anfield is set in stone. It would be nice to think that would be embellished by the perfect send-off. But in football, you don’t always get to say goodbye on your own terms. Arne Slot has to bite his lip and start Mohamed Salah. The Dutchman already had enough on his plate without the third-highest goalscorer in the club’s history adding to the negativity with his incendiary social media post following the dismal 4-2 defeat by Aston Villa. But either leaving Salah on the bench or out of the squad completely would be completely self-defeating. Regardless of how their relationship has deteriorated over the course of the season, Slot needs to look at the bigger picture. Supporters will be there on Sunday to show their appreciation for two departing legends in Salah and Robertson. Their presence on the field will be celebrated with fans parking their frustration and anger over the season as a whole to ensure they get the emotion-fuelled send-off their service deserves. Imagine the reaction if Salah was to be denied that opportunity. The atmosphere would be toxic before a ball had even been kicked. Slot is bound to feel let down by how Salah has conducted himself. He would be within his rights to point out that Salah has been part of standards slipping so significantly over the past nine months. But a war of words only serves to harm the club further. Regardless of whether Liverpool need a positive result to secure Champions League football or not, Salah has to be on that right flank one more time. Salah has put his head coach in a no-win situation — and let’s be frank, Slot’s position has increasingly shifted towards no-win anyway because of results, performances and fanbase frustrations. If he leaves Salah out of the squad, it will only stoke the flames of supporter discontent towards him. If he picks him, it will, arguably, undermine his authority as the head coach – although the Egypt international’s statement effectively did that. In interviews released at the start of this month, while out injured, Salah was adamant he would be back for the final game against Brentford — but after a minor cameo against Aston Villa, his fitness levels will probably dictate if he is on the bench or starts. The problem Slot has from a purely footballing sense is that Liverpool’s attack — outside of 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha — has been blunt in recent matches with Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz also missing. If Bournemouth keep their Champions League qualification hopes alive against Manchester City, playing Salah is best for the team. He has been one of a number of underperformers this season, but he is a much better option at right wing than a combination of Jeremie Frimpong and Curtis Jones. The mood inside Anfield has, understandably, increased in negativity as the season has progressed. To prevent further disintegration, Slot might just have to bite the bullet for a player who will no longer be his problem after Sunday. After all, Salah is the type of player who could well produce a vintage performance in his final game for the club. Apply all the pressure back on the attacker and let him show — for one last time — just how important he thinks he is to this team. Liverpool need to end the season with a win to guarantee Champions League football and if Salah is as influential as he still believes, he’ll produce the goods and depart with the send-off he deserves. On the back of recent results, and the continued injury list, Salah probably makes the strongest starting line-up anyway, so Slot needs to take a deep breath and focus on that. This differs from the situation involving Trent Alexander-Arnold last season, when Slot named him on the bench for the final game against Crystal Palace before introducing him in the second half ahead of his move to Real Madrid. Liverpool had already won the league, were in party mode and had a replacement in Conor Bradley lined up. Now the team needs a departing hero to produce. By starting Salah, Slot will also show respect — and arguably stand out as the bigger man — on what will be an emotionally-charged day for a club legend. If Slot was to not include Salah, it could seal his own exit along with the Egyptian’s. It would only further enrage a fanbase no longer completely sold on the Dutchman. It is far from ideal timing that a social media mutiny against the manager has been launched by an outgoing senior player who gets to walk away on Sunday, no matter what happens. Salah said in December he felt he had been thrown under the bus by Liverpool for a lack of game time in a season when he is simply not at his best. Slot dropped him after that outburst but to do so now would be the wrong decision. For Salah not to be on the bus at all when the team coach gets to Anfield this Sunday would only further darken the already low Anfield mood. Slot has to rise above it all. I would go all in and just start Salah. If he wants to be the hero one final time, let him try. And when his race is run, bring him off to receive the applause and celebration his Liverpool career deserves. Liverpool fans have had very little to celebrate this season but waving goodbye to icons like Salah and Robertson in the proper way — plus a win to qualify for next season’s Champions League — will mean a rubbish season ends on a more positive note. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms