Mohamed Salah has been criticised by Danny Murphy and Michael Owen for his explosive remarks about Liverpool.
Salah remarkably claimed he could leave Liverpool in the January transfer window, and insisted that he was being made a scapegoat for their awful form.
He was an unused substitute as Liverpool conceded a stoppage-time equaliser to draw 3-3 at Elland Road against Leeds United on Saturday, the third consecutive game that he was named on the bench by Arne Slot.
But Salah’s decision to vent his fury afterwards has been called into question.
– Salah’s Liverpool outburst has echoes of Ronaldo’s Man United exit
– Salah’s comments overshadows the issues currently at Liverpool
– Salah interview: How did Liverpool get here?
“Knock on the manager’s door, see the owners, whatever you have to do, express your frustration,” former Liverpool midfielder Murphy said on Match of the Day.
“By doing this, he’s causing the team a problem and the manager a problem and making it all about him.
“You can’t do it. Whether you agree with him you don’t deal with it like this.”
Owen added via social media: “I can imagine how you feel. You’ve carried this team for a long time and won everything there is to win.
“But this is a team game and you simply can’t publicly say what you’ve said.
“You’re going to AFCON in a week. Surely you bite your lip, enjoy representing your country and see how the land lies when you get back?”
Salah’s run of 53 Premier League starts in a row for Liverpool ended last week when he was dropped against West Ham.
He has scored 250 goals in 420 appearances for Liverpool, and five goals in 18 appearances in all competitions this season.
Salah penned a two-and-a-half year contract extension earlier this year, after helping Liverpool win the Premier League last season.
But they currently languish in eighth after 15 games with pressure mounting.
Salah is set to depart to represent Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations on Dec. 15.
Egypt will remain in the competition until at least Dec. 29, and the final is scheduled for Jan. 18.
If Egypt go all the way, Salah would be absent for six Liverpool matches.
He will miss next week’s trip to Tottenham, then Wolves at Anfield. He will be away when Leeds visit Liverpool on New Year’s Day, then for trips to Fulham and Arsenal.
Salah would miss Burnley’s visit to Anfield if Egypt make the AFCON final.
