{"id":180488,"date":"2025-12-08T05:09:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T05:09:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/180488\/"},"modified":"2025-12-08T05:09:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T05:09:08","slug":"surely-you-bite-your-lip-michael-owen-criticises-mohamed-salah-outburst","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/180488\/","title":{"rendered":"Surely you bite your lip \u2013 Michael Owen criticises Mohamed Salah outburst"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen said Mohamed Salah should have \u2018bitten his lip\u2019 following his explosive outburst at Elland Road.<\/p>\n

Salah was named as a substitute for the third successive match in Saturday\u2019s thrilling 3-3 draw against Leeds and claimed in a post-match interview that he had been \u201cthrown under the bus\u201d and had no relationship with manager Arne Slot.<\/p>\n

The Egypt star also claimed next week\u2019s match against Brighton could be his last game at Anfield.<\/p>\n

While Owen said he sympathised with Salah, who has established himself as one of Liverpool\u2019s greatest ever players since joining from Roma in 2017, he said he should not have laid bare his feelings in public.<\/p>\n

Owen posted on X: \u201cOh Mo Salah I can imagine how you feel. You\u2019ve carried this team for a long time and won everything there is to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut this is a team game and you simply can\u2019t publicly say what you\u2019ve said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re going to afcon (Africa Cup of Nations) in a week. Surely you bite your lip, enjoy representing your country and see how the land lies when you get back?\u201d<\/p>\n

Salah scooped the Premier League\u2019s player-of-the-year award last season and the Golden Boot but has struggled to reproduce his best form in the current campaign.<\/p>\n

Oh @mosalah<\/a> \ud83e\udee3 I can imagine how you feel. You\u2019ve carried this team for a long time and won everything there is to win. But this is a team game and you simply can\u2019t publicly say what you\u2019ve said. You\u2019re going to afcon in a week. Surely you bite your lip, enjoy representing your\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2014 Michael Owen (@themichaelowen) December 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Slot refused to turn to Salah, who remained on the bench at Elland Road as his side conceded a 2-0 lead to lose more ground on the top four.<\/p>\n

After the game, Salah said: \u201cIt is not acceptable for me. I don\u2019t know why this is happening to me. I don\u2019t get it. I think if this was somewhere else, every club would protect its player.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow I see it now is like you throw Mo under the bus because he is the problem in the team now. But I don\u2019t think I am the problem. I have done so much for this club.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe respect, I want to get. I don\u2019t have to go every day fighting for my position because I earned it. I am not bigger than anyone, but I earned my position. It\u2019s football. It is what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

But ex-Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy was also critical of Salah\u2019s outburst and said all the Egyptian\u2019s frustrations should have remained within \u201cthe four walls of the club\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"DannyDanny Murphy was also critical of Mohamed Salah\u2019s approach (Adam Davy\/PA).<\/p>\n

Murphy said on Match of the Day: \u201cKnock on the manager\u2019s door, see the owners, whatever you have to do, express your frustration.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy doing this, he\u2019s causing the team a problem and the manager a problem and making it all about him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t do it. Whether you agree with him you don\u2019t deal with it like this.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone has to fight for their place and perform at a certain level. A lot of other big-name players are getting stick and getting the fanbase turned against them a bit. Everyone is being judged.\u201d<\/p>\n