The tension inside Liverpool’s dressing room is growing, and for the first time in years, the names of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are being spoken with worry rather than pride. It is not just fans who are concerned. Former England captain Wayne Rooney has stepped forward, raising big questions about Liverpool’s mentality, leadership, and the attitude of their biggest star, Mohamed Salah. His words have sent a strong message across the Premier League, sparking debates everywhere about what is truly happening behind closed doors at Anfield.
Liverpool have now lost three games in a row in all competitions, a situation that feels strange for a team known for their hunger, power, and never-give-up attitude. The recent 2–1 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge has hit the team hard. Estevao Willian’s last-minute winner broke the hearts of Liverpool supporters and left manager Arne Slot visibly disappointed on the touchline. It was another painful reminder that the Reds’ once fearsome momentum has suddenly disappeared.
For Rooney, who knows what pressure feels like from his days at Manchester United and Everton, this is not just about tactics or luck. To him, it is about leadership, commitment, and attitude. He looked at Salah and Van Dijk — two of the biggest names in world football — and asked a simple but deep question: “Where is their fire?”
Rooney did not hold back. Speaking on his show, he made a worrying claim about the Liverpool dressing room. “With the new players coming in — Isak, Hugo Ekitike, and Wirtz — and with the amount of money the club spent on them, you have to wonder what Salah is thinking now,” he said. “Top players have an ego. Salah has been one of the best players in the Premier League for a long time, but the last week has made me question his work ethic. When things are going well, it’s easy. You’re scoring goals, everyone loves you. But when things go wrong, you see who really wants to fight.”
Rooney’s words cut deep because they hit at the pride of a player who has been Liverpool’s symbol for seven years. Salah has carried the team through thick and thin, scored incredible goals, broken records, and become one of the greatest forwards in Premier League history. But football is a cruel game — memories fade quickly when the results stop coming.
During the Chelsea game, Rooney noticed something that made him speak out. “His full-back was getting torn apart,” Rooney said, referring to the defensive problems Liverpool faced down the right side. “And Salah was just watching. He wasn’t helping, he wasn’t tracking back. That’s not what leaders do.”
Those comments have caused huge reactions online. Some fans agree, saying that Salah’s body language has looked strange in recent weeks, while others defend him fiercely, pointing out that he has still been one of the few players creating chances and scoring goals. But Rooney didn’t stop there. He also mentioned Van Dijk and Alisson, calling them “the leaders of the dressing room” and questioning why they were not demanding more from their teammates.
“For me, that’s the biggest worry,” Rooney said. “When you have senior players like Van Dijk, you expect them to demand effort and focus from everyone, especially in tough moments. That’s how champions behave. But right now, Liverpool look a little lost. It’s as if they don’t know who to follow.”
This comment has opened up a bigger conversation about the balance inside Liverpool’s new-look team. The arrivals of Isak, Ekitike, and Wirtz were meant to bring excitement and competition, but they may have also disturbed the old order. Salah, who has always been the main man, now finds himself sharing the spotlight with new stars. It is natural for any top player to feel challenged, but according to Rooney, that challenge may be affecting Salah more than people think.
Earlier in the season, Rooney had already hinted that Salah might not be happy with Isak’s arrival from Newcastle. “Even though Salah has been the best player at Liverpool for years, he won’t be happy that Isak has come in and is getting the attention,” he said. “That’s just football pride. Every top player wants to be the main man. When I was at United, we signed Tevez, and people said we might not work together. But for me, it just made me more determined to stay on top.”
That quote sums up the mentality Rooney wants to see from Salah — not anger or frustration, but hunger. To him, competition should make a player stronger, not weaker. He believes Salah must show he is still the heartbeat of Liverpool, no matter who joins the team.
But it’s not only Salah’s attitude that is under the microscope. Van Dijk, the club captain, is also being questioned. In the past, he was known for his calm leadership and unshakable confidence, but lately, he has looked frustrated and quiet on the pitch. Against Chelsea, he could be seen shouting at his teammates, but there was also a sense of helplessness in his body language.
Liverpool fans know this feeling all too well. Last season ended with heartbreak, and this one was supposed to be the start of a new era under Arne Slot. The Dutch manager brought energy and tactical discipline to Feyenoord, but leading a club like Liverpool is a completely different world. Every mistake is magnified, every decision is debated, and every defeat feels like a crisis.
When Liverpool started the season unbeaten, everything looked perfect. Salah was scoring, Wirtz was adapting, and Van Dijk was organizing the defense like the old days. But football changes quickly. A few bad results, a few new signings adjusting slowly, and suddenly the confidence disappears. The Chelsea defeat was especially painful because Liverpool were expected to bounce back after losing two earlier matches. Instead, they fell apart in the final minutes.
Rooney’s words hit at the heart of that collapse. For him, it is not about bad luck — it is about mentality. “This is the Premier League,” he said. “If you don’t work hard, you get punished. Liverpool have always been known for pressing, energy, teamwork. But in that Chelsea game, they didn’t look like a team. They looked like individuals.”
And that word — individuals — is what scares Liverpool fans the most. Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool’s strength came from unity. Every player fought for the other. Even the stars like Salah, Mane, and Van Dijk understood that the team came first. Now, under Slot, things seem different. The new players are still learning the system, and the older players are adjusting to new roles. It is a period of transition, but also one full of danger.
There are whispers that Salah is frustrated with how Slot uses him. Some claim he prefers his old attacking freedom rather than tracking back and defending more. Others think he is simply tired — after all, he has been playing non-stop football for almost eight years without rest. But Rooney’s criticism forces a bigger question: does Salah still have the same fire that made him unstoppable?
Rooney himself knows the weight of expectation. As one of England’s greatest players, he was often criticized when things went wrong, even when he was giving everything. His words about Salah are not just from a rival — they are from a man who understands what it means to be the main man at a big club. He knows how it feels when the spotlight shifts and when younger stars arrive to challenge your legacy.
But there’s also a message for the whole Liverpool squad. Rooney called on the dressing room leaders — Van Dijk, Alisson, Robertson — to step up. He believes the team lacks communication and energy. “When your best player isn’t pressing, others see that and think they don’t have to press either,” he said. “That’s how standards drop. You need someone to speak up. You need leaders to remind everyone what the badge means.”
Fans watching from around the world can feel the tension. The team that once ran through walls for Klopp now looks like a group trying to rediscover its identity. The roar of Anfield, the fire in Salah’s eyes, the commanding presence of Van Dijk — all of it feels dimmed for now. But as history shows, Liverpool often rise again when people doubt them.
Inside the club, there’s no official sign of conflict, but the performances speak louder than any interview. Arne Slot remains calm in front of the media, insisting that the team only needs “a bit of rhythm” to find form again. But privately, he knows that his senior players must take responsibility. No system can fix a team that doesn’t fight together.
For Salah, the challenge is personal. He has heard critics before and silenced them every time. Whether it was questions about his consistency, his finishing, or his loyalty, he has always answered on the pitch. The question now is whether he can do it again at this stage of his career — with new stars around him and a new manager leading the way.
And for Van Dijk, this might be his biggest test as captain. He is no longer surrounded by the same core group that dominated Europe. He must rebuild trust, guide new teammates, and prove that his leadership still commands respect. If he can bring the dressing room together, Liverpool’s slump could end quickly. But if the cracks keep growing, the season could spiral out of control.
Fans have begun debating Rooney’s comments endlessly. Some say he is right — that Salah looks distant and unmotivated. Others argue that Rooney is simply stirring up drama, trying to get attention during a tough time for his old rivals. Whatever the truth is, one thing is certain: his words have reached the Liverpool camp.
The team now faces crucial games in both the Premier League and Europe. Every match will test their unity and hunger. Every moment will show whether Salah still leads by example or fades quietly into the background. Liverpool’s title defence has hit a dangerous point, and their next few performances will tell the world if they are still true contenders or if their golden era is beginning to fade.
Football has a funny way of humbling even the greatest. Just a few weeks ago, Liverpool looked unstoppable. Now, questions about attitude, ego, and leadership are everywhere. Wayne Rooney’s sharp words have added more fuel to the fire, but they might also serve as a wake-up call. Sometimes, criticism from a rival is exactly what a team needs to find its fight again.
Liverpool fans will hope that this is the spark — that Salah rediscovers his unstoppable rhythm, that Van Dijk becomes the wall again, and that the dressing room remembers what it means to wear the red shirt. Because for all the noise and doubt, one truth remains: when Liverpool are united, they are one of the most powerful teams in football. And if this tough period brings them closer, the rest of the league should be very afraid.
But until then, the questions remain — about Salah’s work ethic, about Van Dijk’s leadership, and about whether Arne Slot can control a dressing room full of stars and egos. The next few weeks could define not only their season but the future of this new Liverpool project.
For now, Wayne Rooney’s words hang in the air like a warning: “Top players have an ego, but the best ones use it to push harder. If Salah wants to stay at the top, he has to show it again.
It’s a message Liverpool’s number 11 cannot ignore. Because legends are not made by what they did last season — they are made by how they respond when everything starts to fall apart
