Liverpool: Mohamed Salah's comments show his unhappiness but I'd be shocked if he was a Man Utd player, says Gary Neville

Gary Neville says he would be “shudder” at Mo Salah’s comments about Liverpool’s season if the Egyptian was a Man Utd player.

The Liverpool star is set to leave the club this summer but delivered a brutal assessment of the team’s current state on Saturday, with the Reds fifth in the Premier League and still not guaranteed a place in next season’s Champions League, having lost 4-2 to Aston Villa on Friday.

Salah hit out at the style of play under Arne Slot, calling for a return to the “heavy metal” attacking football synonymous with former boss Jurgen Klopp.

It is not the first time that Salah has criticized the Liverpool manager this season.

In December, he hit out at Slot in a bombshell interview, insisting the couple’s relationship had broken down.

Sky Sports pundit and former Man Utd captain Neville said he did not approve of Salah speaking out in such a way, but says his latest comments reflect his unhappiness.

“He’s pulled the pin out of a grenade right in the middle of the room. And he’s walking out of the room,” Neville said. “Mo is not happy over there.

“It’s not great. If he was a Manchester United player, I’d be shaking. But what you can never do with this kind of player, with this kind of stature and personality, is keep them quiet. If they’ve got something to say, they’ll say it. And they’ll say it at the point where you don’t want to hear it.

“It was a telling comment. Arne Slot won’t accept it at all. But he just wants to get to the end of the season, get out of there, get everyone out of there who won’t be there next season and try to build.”

Slot has indicated he hopes to oversee a busy summer transfer window at Liverpool and Neville believes the Dutchman will be given the chance to turn the tide next season, especially given that former Reds player Xabi Alonso, who many had tipped to eventually return to Anfield as manager, has been appointed Chelsea boss.

“The signing of Xabi Alonso told me that Liverpool will keep their manager,” said Neville.

“Which I’m happy about. A manager who won the league 12 months ago deserves another chance to get it right after having a more challenging season this time. He’s still in the Champions League. But Salah’s comment won’t be helpful.”

Salah’s sharp assessment of Liverpool

In a scathing assessment of Liverpool’s form this season, Salah said in a statement on social media: “I’ve seen this club go from doubters to believers and from believers to champions.

“It took hard work and I always did everything I could to help the club get there. Nothing makes me prouder than that.

“To crumble to another defeat this season was very painful and not what our fans deserve. I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that the opposition fear and back to being a team that wins trophies. This is the football I know how to play and that is the identity that needs to be reclaimed and preserved forever.

“That is non-negotiable and anyone who joins this club should adapt to that. Winning a few games here and there is not what Liverpool should be about. All teams win games.

“Liverpool will always be a club that means a lot to me and to my family. I want to see it succeed long after I’ve moved on. As I’ve always said, qualifying for next season’s Champions League is the bare minimum and I’ll do everything I can to make that happen.”

Slot insists Liverpool will be a better force next season

Meanwhile, under pressure, Slot has promised that next season will be better.

Liverpool’s trophyless season ends at home to Brentford on May 24. Depending on the results for Bournemouth and Brighton over the next few days, Liverpool may need a positive result to secure a top-five finish to qualify for the Champions League.

The Dutchman accepted that supporters may not find cause for optimism after a difficult campaign, but he expects better from his side next season.

“I can understand at this point that they don’t have a lot of confidence or a lot of feeling that things can be much better next season,” Slot said.

“But I think they underestimate what a window can do, what a fresh start can do, and I think we know what we need to improve.

“I think one of the things we need to improve is also very, very, very obvious, and I would rather not have talked about it here, but you’re actually almost forcing me to.

“If you’re missing nine players who can start a game of football and almost all of them are starters for us or have been for a large part of the season, then if you add that to what you can improve in one window and add that to players who are playing for the second season in the Premier League, it will automatically lead to a lot more.

“I don’t think the differences are that big, just doing the right thing in a few situations can already have the best massive upside opportunity.”