Does explosive outburst hint that Liverpool's 'Egyptian King' is set to abdicate?

Mohamed Salah plunged his future at Liverpool into serious doubt after claiming he had been made the fall guy for the Premier League champion's disastrous form this season.

In an explosive outburst, Salah spoke to reporters after being left on the bench for Saturday's 3-3 draw at Leeds, dropping a bombshell accusation that his relationship with Reds manager Arne Slot is broken.

It was the third consecutive game the Egyptian had been benched by Slot, who is struggling for solutions to his floundering side's dismal record of just four wins in 15 games across all competitions.

But how did the relationship between the Egypt star and his manager break down, and what comes next for both Salah and Liverpool?

Why was Salah dropped?

An undoubted Liverpool legend, only two players have scored more than Salah's 250 goals for the 20-time English champion.

Salah, who arrived at Anfield from Roma in 2017, was fundamental to two Premier League title triumphs, ending a 30-year wait to claim the Premier League crown in 2020, repeating the feat last season, in addition to winning the Champions League in 2019.

In April, as he played a starring role in winning the title in Slot's debut season, Salah was rewarded with a lucrative two-year contract.

Salah has struggled to reach the same heights this season, scoring just five times in 19 appearances.

The 33-year-old, who was dropped for Champions League fixtures against Galatasaray and Eintracht Frankfurt, started all of Liverpool's first 12 league games, but Slot's patience ran out after a 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Liverpool spent $400 million on forwards Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak in the summer transfer window.

Despite slow starts for Wirtz and Isak, it appears they are the future for the flailing Reds, and Slot has prioritized trying to get them up to speed over the past week.

"I'm sitting on the bench, and I don't know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That's how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame," Salah said.

"I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager, and, all of a sudden, we don't have any relationship. I don't know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, is that someone doesn't want me at the club."

What happens next?

Liverpool was already planning for life without Salah in the short-term, as he is set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations after this week's matches against Inter Milan in the Champions League and Brighton in the league.

Salah hinted that the Brighton game could be his last at Anfield, if selected, and that he had instructed his family to fly in to witness it.

"I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to AFCON," he added.

"I don't know what is going to happen when I am there."

Where could he go?

A move to the Saudi Pro League has long been rumored as Salah's next destination.

An icon in the Arab world, his signing would represent another coup for the Gulf state.

The riches of clubs backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund mean they are among the few options that can match, or even improve, Salah's current salary as one of the Premier League's highest-paid players.

Liverpool would also welcome the chance to bank a significant transfer fee after its huge summer outlay.

What about Slot?

Slot's standing among the Liverpool supporters for an amazing first season in charge was already diminishing after a dismal start to the club's title defense.

His job is not in immediate danger, but the Liverpool hierarchy may be forced to act if a place in next season's Champions League looks at risk.

Despite its dreadful start, Liverpool sits eighth in the table, only two points outside the top four.

Salah has now ramped up even more pressure on Slot, as many fans will take the side of the player the Kop hails the "Egyptian King".

AFP