A British newspaper columnist has defended Mohamed Salah ahead of what is expected to be his final appearance for Liverpool FC, rejecting suggestions that the Egyptian forward should be left out of the starting line-up.
The discussion comes before Liverpool’s Premier League meeting with Brentford FC at Anfield on Sunday in the final round of the season.
Andy Dunne, head of sport at the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror, published an emotional article reflecting on Salah’s Liverpool career and questioning calls for manager Arne Slot to bench the forward in his farewell match.
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney had reportedly suggested that Salah should not start the game, comments that generated significant debate among supporters and pundits.
Dunne argued that Slot would be unlikely to follow that advice.
“Mohamed Salah will be leaving his spiritual home, but his legendary status is guaranteed,” Dunne wrote.
“The sun will rise on Mohamed Salah at Anfield on Sunday, then set to mark the end of one of the most dazzling careers in the Premier League era.”
The article described Salah’s arrival at Liverpool nine years ago as the moment he found his “spiritual home” after previously making only a modest impact at four European clubs.
Dunne wrote that the Egyptian would leave Anfield as one of the club’s great modern icons, praised by supporters not only for his achievements but also for the excitement he brought to the pitch.
Attention has also centred on recent comments made by Salah on social media regarding the team’s style of play. His remarks about a desire for a return to more aggressive “heavy metal” football triggered widespread reaction among fans and former players.
Dunne suggested that while some critics viewed the comments as disrespectful towards Slot, many Liverpool supporters welcomed them.
“The public will pay no attention to the words that many former professionals considered offensive to Arnie Slot,” he wrote. “In fact, most, if not all, of them welcomed those remarks completely.”
The columnist also dismissed the idea that Liverpool supporters attend matches primarily for the manager.
“These fans aren’t paying to see a manager, not even someone as charismatic as Jürgen Klopp’s predecessor, Slot,” he wrote. “They come to see Salah.”
Dunne highlighted the scale of Salah’s achievements during his time at Anfield, pointing to his tally of 257 goals and 122 assists ahead of his final appearance.
He also praised the Egyptian’s durability, noting that injuries had rarely disrupted his Liverpool career despite the physical nature of Premier League football.
“By my calculations, Salah has missed out on selection for only 21 weeks throughout his nine years with Liverpool,” Dunne wrote.
The article argued, however, that Salah’s impact could not simply be measured through statistics.
“But his career with Liverpool wasn’t about numbers; it was always about excitement,” Dunne added.
The writer compared the anticipation Liverpool supporters felt whenever Salah received the ball to the excitement football fans experienced watching Lionel Messi at his peak.
Dunne concluded that the time was right for both club and player to move on, especially with Salah approaching his 34th birthday and Liverpool enduring what he described as a relatively weak title defence this season.
Still, he insisted that Salah’s legacy at Anfield would remain untouchable.
“But the memories of his brilliance are still vivid enough to bring the great stadium to its feet one last time,” he wrote. “The sun will set on Salah’s Liverpool career on Sunday, but his place in the Anfield sky is secure.”
