In the high-stakes pressure cooker of Anfield, the honeymoon period for Arne Slot has officially transitioned into a season of scrutiny. As Liverpool navigates a turbulent 2025/26 campaign, Manchester United legend and outspoken pundit Rio Ferdinand has once again taken aim at the Dutchman’s tactical decisions—specifically his treatment of a certain talismanic figure.
“A Player of His Calibre Doesn’t Deserve the Bench”
On the latest episode of Rio Ferdinand Presents, the former England defender didn’t hold back when discussing the current plight of Mohamed Salah. After a summer of massive upheaval—including the controversial €70 million sale of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich—Slot has frequently opted to leave Salah on the bench in favor of new arrivals like Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike.
> “I really feel for him at the moment,” Ferdinand remarked. “His type of player doesn’t deserve to waste away on the bench. You’re talking about a guy who has broken every record in the book. Arne Slot looks like he wants to ruin his career just as they nearly did to Luis Diaz before he finally escaped to Germany.”
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Ferdinand’s comparison to Diaz is particularly stinging. The Colombian winger has flourished since moving to the Bundesliga, currently being hailed as one of the best players in the world, while Liverpool’s attack has often looked “predictable” in his absence.
The Numbers Game: Salah vs. The New Guard
While Slot has defended his rotation as a necessity for a “stable environment,” the statistics from the 2025/26 season suggest a team in transition—or perhaps, in a slump.
| Player | Role under Slot | Current Status |
|—|—|—|
| Mohamed Salah | Veteran / Impact Sub | Frequently benched; 12th in the table |
| Florian Wirtz | $156m Creative Hub | Struggling for “balance” in midfield |
| Cody Gakpo | Primary Left-Winger | Criticized for being “one-dimensional” |
| Luis Diaz | (Sold to Bayern) | Top of Bundesliga; “The one that got away” |
The “Diaz Ghost” Haunting Anfield
The core of Ferdinand’s argument lies in the “mishandling” of world-class talent. Ferdinand claims that by sidelining Salah, Slot is repeating the same mistake made with Diaz: failing to recognize the “chaotic creativity” that defines elite players.
“When you have a player like Salah, you don’t ‘manage’ him out of the team; you build the team to let him fly,” Rio argued. “Instead, Slot is trying to turn Liverpool into a rigid machine. It didn’t work for Diaz, who was pushed into a false nine role before being sold, and it’s not working for Mo.”
Is Slot Under Pressure?
With Liverpool sitting mid-table and recently exiting the Champions League following a shootout loss to PSG, the “noise” at Anfield is becoming deafening. Ferdinand even suggested that the club might eventually look toward a legend like Steven Gerrard to “steady the ship” if results don’t improve by the end of the season.
> “I’m fighting the corner of these top players,” Rio added. “If you’ve got a Ferrari, you don’t leave it in the garage because you’re worried about the fuel consumption. You drive it.”
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What’s Next for the Reds?
As the February fixtures pile up, all eyes remain on the team sheet. Will Slot reintegrate Salah to silence the critics, or will he double down on his “tactical evolution”?
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