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Rooney Warns Mohamed Salah Is “Destroying His Legacy” As Saudi Clubs Line Up January Bid
Wayne Rooney has accused Egyptian International, Mohamed Salah of damaging his own reputation at Liverpool after the forward publicly claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club.
Mohamed Salah’s comments came after Liverpool’s dramatic 3-3 draw with Leeds United, where he was left on the bench once again. The Egyptian said his relationship with head coach Arne Slot had collapsed, a statement that has sparked questions over his future at Anfield.
Rooney, speaking on his podcast, urged Slot to show leadership by removing Salah from the squad for upcoming matches, including Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Inter Milan and the home game against Brighton.
“Arne Slot has to show his authority and pull him in and say, ‘you are not travelling with the team, what you said is not acceptable, ’” Rooney said. “Take yourself off to AFCON and let everything calm down. If I were him, there would be no way he would be in the team.”
Rooney went further, saying Salah now faces a choice between resolving his issues with Slot or preparing to walk away from the club where he has become a modern icon.
“It needs to be sorted out quickly either way,” he added.
Salah signed a two-year extension in April but has endured a difficult start to the season. He has five goals in nineteen games and has been left out of the starting line-up for three matches in a row, a situation that has fuelled his frustration.
His remarks have already drawn interest from abroad. Reports in England claim Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal are ready to make a move in January and believe they can tempt Liverpool into a cut-price deal for the 33-year-old. Salah has scored 250 goals in 420 appearances since joining Liverpool, making him one of the most prolific players in the club’s history.
Al Hilal, now coached by Simone Inzaghi, are expected to face competition from clubs in Europe. GiveMeSport also reports that MLS side San Diego is exploring a potential offer as they prepare for their entry into the league.
According to BBC Sport, Liverpool are keeping an open mind on Salah’s future ahead of the January window. The forward is also said to be open to a new challenge.
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Mohamed Salah is not expected to be in Liverpool’s squad to face Inter Milan, despite taking part in training on Monday.
In an explosive interview at the weekend the 33-year-old forward said he felt like he had been “thrown under the bus” by the Reds amid the side’s struggles this season, and that his relationship with head coach Arne Slot had broken down.
Salah was an unused substitute in Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds United – the third straight game the Egypt international has started on the bench.
Monday’s training took place before Liverpool face Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, and Salah was involved while the session was open to the media.
Liverpool will fly out to Italy later this afternoon and Slot is scheduled to hold a news conference at about 18:45 GMT this evening.
Salah’s comments came after the Reds let a 2-0 lead slip in the draw at Leeds, with the Egypt international an unused substitute for the game.
The previous two games had seen Salah come on as a substitute in a 1-1 home draw at Sunderland, while he was left on the bench in a 2-0 win at West Ham.
His last start was in a 4-1 defeat by PSV Eindhoven at Anfield in a Champions League group game and his last goal came in a 2-0 win at Aston Villa on Saturday, 1 November.
Salah has scored five goals in 18 appearances in the Premier League and Champions League this season.
Overall, he has 250 goals in 420 Liverpool appearances and his 29 top-flight goals in the 2024-25 campaign helped the Anfield side win the Premier League title last season.
Salah, who joined Liverpool from Roma in 2017, signed a new two-year contract with the club in April.
BBC Sport pundit and former England striker Wayne Rooney believes Salah is “destroying his legacy” at the club and that Slot should not involve the player against Inter or in a home match against Brighton on Saturday.
The game against the Seagulls comes before Salah is scheduled to join up with Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations.
“In my head, I’m going to enjoy that game because I don’t know what is going to happen now,” said Salah.
“I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to Africa Cup of Nations. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”
BBC
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has confirmed the new date for the pre-tournament friendly between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Pharaohs of Egypt.
The friendly was pushed back by two days following FIFA’s decision allowing clubs to keep their players until Monday, 15 December, before releasing them for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Naija News reports that Nigeria and Egypt had planned to meet in Cairo on Sunday, 14 December, based on the previous regulation that required an earlier release date for national team players. The match will now take place on Tuesday, 16 December.
In addition to the change in date, the fixture has been reclassified as a practice match so the two coaches can field more than five substitutes. The game will be played at Cairo Stadium, kicking off at 8pm local time, which is 7pm in Nigeria.
Nigeria, who have won the title three times, are drawn in Group C with Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania. The Super Eagles open their campaign on Tuesday, 23 December against Tanzania at the Complexe Sportif de Fes.
They will face Tunisia on Saturday, 27 December, before completing their group fixtures against Uganda on Tuesday, 30 December.
Egypt, the tournament’s most successful side with seven titles, will play their Group B matches at the Stade d’Agadir. They are grouped with South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe for the 35th edition of the competition.
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Niger Tornadoes technical adviser, Majin Mohammed, has described his team’s defeat to Kwara United as a bad day in office.
The Ikon Allah Boys suffered a 2-0 defeat to Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.
Terdoo Shimagande and Sabiu Ibrahim were withdrawn from the game due to injury.
Mohammed insisted that the players injury destabilised their plan.
“If there is anything called a bad day in football, I think Tornadoes had one,” Mohammed stated after the game.
“Kwara United scored twice and we suffered two injuries, all in the first half, which destabilised our game plan.”
Mohammed, however, admitted that Kwara United showed more determination in the game.
“Kwara United showed class. They were clearly well prepared for this game—perhaps because of recent scorelines—and it also shows that the position of a team on the log doesn’t always matter.”
Akwa United head coach Paul Offor has described his team’s failure to secure all three points against Godswill Akpabio United as unfortunate.
The Promise Keepers held the visitors at the Uyo Township Stadium on Sunday.
Akwa United currently occupy fourth position on the Nigeria National League, NNL, Conference B table with seven points from four games.
Offor blamed wastefulness for his side’s failure to win the game.
Read Also:NPFL: Enyimba Coach Ukaegbu Assures Fans Of Strong Comeback After Remo Stars Defeat
“This match is gone, and I’m focusing on my players. I’m impressed with their performance today. The result does not reflect our effort,” Offor told the club’s media.
“We played very well and created clear-cut chances, but it’s disappointing that we couldn’t take them. Our ball play is improving, and I commend my boys for fighting back to get something from the game.
Offor reaffirmed the team’s ambition of securing promotion this season.
“We are still on course for our target, which is promotion. I’m confident we will bounce back strongly in the remaining 14 games,”Offor added.
Akwa United will be away to Sporting Lagos in their next league game.
By Adeboye Amosu
Liverpool forward, Mohamed Salah has ignited a full-blown crisis at Anfield after delivering a stunning, seven-and-a-half-minute outburst on Saturday night, accusing the club of betrayal, revealing a broken relationship with head coach Arne Slot, and hinting at a possible January exit.
Speaking after Liverpool’s chaotic 3-3 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road, a match he watched entirely from the bench, Salah said he felt “thrown under the bus” and unfairly painted as the club’s problem during their torrid run of form.
Before Salah’s interview became public, Slot had praised the forward’s professionalism after his initial benching at West Ham:
“He was very supportive for his teammates, handled himself really well during the day and yesterday in the session as well.”
But the manager is now under enormous pressure, with some insiders believing Salah’s comments amount to a direct challenge to the club hierarchy.
“The club has thrown me under the bus” – Salah
Salah, who has now been benched in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time in his Liverpool career, did not hold back:
“I could not believe I am sitting on the bench for 90 minutes. That’s the third time. It’s the first time in my career, I think.”
“Very disappointed, done so much for this club over years, especially last season, It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus.”
“That’s how I feel it.”
He continued:
“Someone wants me to get all the blame. [The] club promised me a lot in summer. Now I’m on bench so can say they haven’t kept those promises.”
“I used to have a good relationship [with Slot]. Now we don’t have any relationship and I don’t know why. [It] seems like someone does not want me in the club.”
The comments come at a time when the Premier League champions have collapsed in form, winning just four of their last 15 games in all competitions.
Salah Benched Again and Left Out Entirely at Elland Road
Saturday’s match at Leeds marked Salah’s third straight game without a starting place, a shocking new development for a player who had started 53 consecutive league matches before last week.
Slot hasn’t played the 33-year-old a single minute since the draw at Sunderland.
After full-time, Salah walked straight down the tunnel, later reappearing to speak to reporters in what became one of the most explosive interviews of his career.
Salah Plans Farewell Before AFCON
Salah will depart Liverpool on December 15 to join Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The forward revealed he has already prepared for what may be his last Anfield appearance:
“I call my mum and dad told them to come to the Brighton game. It doesn’t matter if I play or not. I’m going to enjoy it.”
“Just going to be at Anfield and say goodbye to the fans before the African Cup, because I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”
“I don’t accept this situation” – Salah says he has earned his place
The Liverpool legend, who has scored 250 goals in 420 appearances, insisted the club has failed to respect his contributions.
“It’s not acceptable to me to be fair. If I was somewhere else, every club would protect its players.”
“Now, it’s ‘Throw Mo under the bus because he is a problem in a team.’ I don’t think I am a problem.”
“I am not fighting for my position every day because I have earned it.”
He added:
“I am not bigger than the club. I am not bigger than anything, but I have earned it.”
Mo Salah on Hints of Saudi Arabia Move
Asked directly whether he could join the Saudi Pro League in January, Salah looked ahead cautiously:
“I don’t want to answer that question because club will take me in a different direction. I have done so much for this club.”
“I love the fans so much and love the club, I don’t know what is next.”
The Premier League’s current top scorer also vented about perceived double standards:
“I am scoring more than anyone in this generation since I came to the Premier League. I don’t think anyone else scored more.”
“Can I give an example? It’s silly, Harry Kane was not scoring for 10 games, maybe got one or two.”
“Everyone in the media was: ‘Harry will score for sure.’ Now it is: ‘Mo needs to be on the bench.’”
Relationship with Slot “gone”
One of Salah’s most surprising admissions was that he and Arne Slot no longer communicate and does not blame his teammates:
“There is no relationship [with Slot]. It was a very good relationship. Now there is no relationship.”
“I don’t feel let down by my teammates. These guys know how much I love them and how much I support them. There is much love between us.”
Mo Salah Spotted Training after his Explosive Interview
Regret over new contract? “Even the question hurts”
Salah signed a two-year contract extension in April, months before winning the Premier League title.
Now, he admits the situation has fallen apart:
“How bad I have to answer that. Even the question hurts, I will never regret signing for this club.”
“I thought I was signing and ending my career here. Now this is not according to the plan.”
He added:
“In my head, why should it end this way? Five months ago I was winning awards, now why go in this direction?”
What’s next? January exit looms
Salah will play Brighton next weekend and possibly his final match at Anfield before AFCON. By the time he returns in late January, Liverpool might already have decided his future.
And based on his own words, the winger himself doesn’t know what comes next:
“It is what it is. In football you never know.”
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, has ended its ‘Invitation Football Competition 2025’ held at the premises of the Division headquarters in Port Harcourt, in Rivers State.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Division, Major General Emmanuel Emekah, speaking at the end of the match, said the primary aim of hosting the “GOC Division Invitation Football Competition 2025” was to engage the minds of the youths.
Noting that “an idle mind is devil’s workshop”, Major General Emekah said it was necessary to employ none kinetic approach to engage the mind of the young officers.
The GOC who doubles as the Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, South South, Operation Delta Safe, emphasised on the importance of physical fitness to Nigerian Army, expressing satisfaction with the tournament.
“What we try to do is to keep our youths busy and that is the primary reason we are doing this. We conduct both kinetic and non-kinetic operations and this is one of the non-kinetic.
“This will help to keep their minds fit, physical fitness is important and if you’re physically fit, it will keep your brain and mind at alert,” he noted.
He stated further that “From here we spot talents that will project beyond the barracks. Today’s match was quite impressive, but they will do better in subsequent competition.
“This is an invitational tournament. There is no need for a winner or loser. They did not show the spirit behind the competition because it is supposed to be a novelty match. I however congratulate you for winning”, Maj Gen. Emekah hailed the winning team.
Python 6 Division Football Club defeated Ugboro FC, a visiting team from Cross River State 4 -1. Trophy and cash were presented to winning teams in the week- long tournament.
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has confirmed the international friendly between the Super Eagles and Pharaohs of Egypt will hold on Tuesday, 16 December.
Nigeria and Egypt were earlier scheduled to clash on Sunday, 14 December.
The decision by world football-governing body, FIFA that cubs can hold on to their players until Monday, 15 December before they are released for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations necessitated the postponement.
Aside from the postponement, the game will now be a practice match in order to allow the two teams to make use of more than five substitutes in the encounter.
The game will hold at the Cairo International Stadium.
It will kick-off at 8pm Nigerian time .
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, on Monday announced a new date for the pre-2025 Africa Cup of Nations friendly between the Super Eagles and Pharaohs of Egypt.
According to the NFF, the friendly which was earlier scheduled to hold on Sunday, 14 December has now been shifted to Tuesday, 16 December.
The NFF declared that FIFA’s decision that clubs can hold on to their players until Monday, 15 December before they are released for AFCON 2025 in Morocco necessitated the postponement.
Read Also:AFCON 2025: Super Eagles Vs Egypt Friendly Get New Date
Aside from the postponement, the game will now be a practice match in order to allow the two teams to make use of more than five substitutes in the encounter.
The game slated for the Cairo International Stadium will kick off at 8pm Egypt time (7pm Nigeria time).
The Super Eagles are drawn in Group C of the AFCON 2025 finals alongside 2004 champions Tunisia, 1978 runners-up Uganda, and Tanzania.
Nigeria’s first match is on Tuesday, 23 December against Tanzania’s Taifa Stars at the Complexe Sportif de Fes, where they will also tackle Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles (Saturday, 27 December) and the Cranes of Uganda (Tuesday, 30 December).
By Adeboye Amosu
SPORT
Xabi Alonso Blames Injuries, Referee Decisions After Real Madrid’s Shock Home Loss To Celta Vigo
Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso offered a blunt assessment of his team’s 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo, pointing to a mix of tactical disruption, red cards and refereeing decisions that left his side four points behind LaLiga leaders Barcelona.
Two second-half goals from Williot Swedberg stunned the Santiago Bernabeu crowd on Sunday, as Celta Vigo punished Madrid’s mistakes and capitalised on moments of uncertainty. The hosts were reduced to ten men following red cards shown to Fran García and Álvaro Carreras, further complicating Madrid’s response.
Alonso admitted that Real Madrid never reached the rhythm he expected, especially after Éder Militão suffered an injury that forced an early reshuffle.
“We’d planned the match after the Bilbao game to play at a good pace and put pressure on a good side. We were lacking in some areas, and the injury disrupted our plans. We struggled to react; almost the best reaction was when we were down to ten men,” he said after the match.
The Spaniard also turned his frustration towards referee Quintero González, arguing that several decisions unsettled his players.
“The referee’s decisions have driven us crazy. The referee was itching to give the card to Álvaro Carreras. The refereeing has been very poor. The time-wasting, overall I didn’t like the refereeing,” Alonso said.
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Maduka Okoye will be released by Udinese for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after their Serie A clash with champions Napoli on Saturday, DAILY POST reports.
Okoye was earlier expected to link up with his international teammates in camp on Monday (today).
The Federation of International Football Association, FIFA, has however ruled that clubs can keep players until December 15.
Udinese head coach Kosta Runjaic confirmed the goalkeeper will leave for international duty after Napoli’s visit to the Bluenergy Stadium this weekend.
“We’re considering this issue. After Napoli, we’ll probably no longer have Rui Modesto, Okoye, Bayo, and Zemura, but we’ve known about it for some time,” Runjaic was quoted by the club’s official website.
The 25-year-old will be making his second AFCON appearance in Morocco.
He was Super Eagles’ first choice goalkeeper at the AFCON 2021 finals in Cameroon.