I was absolutely raging watching Arne Slot take off Mo Salah with around 20 minutes left while the game was still level at 1-1.
Honestly, it did not feel tactical at all.
It felt personal.
And I know I am not the only Liverpool supporter who thought exactly the same thing watching it happen at Anfield.
This was supposed to be Salah’s emotional farewell.
One final chance for Anfield to watch one of the greatest players in Liverpool history try to win a game for his football club one last time.
Instead, Slot removed Liverpool’s biggest attacking threat while the match was still there to be won.
And the timing of it felt incredibly strange.
Liverpool were not comfortably ahead.
The game was still hanging in the balance.
If anything, Liverpool actually needed more quality and leadership on the pitch during the final stages.
Yet Slot chose to remove the player most capable of producing a decisive moment.
That decision left many supporters furious.
In my view, it came across as petty.
Almost like Slot wanted the final word in the ongoing tension between himself and Salah.
And whether people like hearing it or not, the dislike between the two now feels painfully obvious.
The body language.
The comments.
The constant speculation.
The awkwardness.
None of it looks like a healthy relationship anymore.
Supporters have spent months hearing rumours about disagreements over tactics, playing style and dressing room frustration.
And today’s substitution only added more fuel to those suspicions.
Because emotionally, football supporters understand moments.
And today should have belonged to Salah.
What made it even more frustrating was that Salah was still influencing the game.
He had already broken another Liverpool assist record and remained one of the few players capable of producing something special in the final third.
Yet instead of letting him finish the match and potentially deliver one final iconic moment, Slot took him off while the game remained completely open.
Many supporters inside Anfield looked stunned when the number went up.
Yes, Salah received an emotional ovation.
But underneath the applause there was also frustration and confusion.
Because deep down, many fans felt they were watching something unnecessary.
Of course, Slot will likely defend the decision as tactical or physical management.
But supporters are not stupid.
Football fans can sense tension instantly.
And today’s substitution felt like another chapter in a relationship that clearly broke down a long time ago.
For me personally, this was the final nail in Slot’s coffin.
I have defended him at times this season hoping things would improve.
But today completely finished that belief for me.
Taking Salah off in that moment — during his farewell, at 1-1, while Liverpool were still searching for a winner — summed up everything supporters have been frustrated about this season:
- Poor judgement
- Lack of emotional intelligence
- Stubborn decision-making
- And an inability to properly understand what Liverpool means to supporters
The saddest part is that none of this should have happened.
Salah deserved a glorious final chapter at Liverpool.
Not awkwardness.
Not political decisions.
Not emotional tension hanging over every moment.
Because regardless of opinions on managers or rebuilding projects, players like Salah should leave Anfield with respect, appreciation and trust.
Instead, today left many supporters feeling angry all over again.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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