Mohamed Salah's incendiary interview attacking Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and the club after he was left out of the draw at Leeds United contained one memorable soundbite that stuck out above many others. It was the 33-year-old's claim he had been "thrown under the bus" after a glittering Liverpool career encompassing all major prizes and 250 goals that put him third on their all-time list of scorers.

Salah's outburst came after he was left on the bench for a third successive Premier League game as Slot tried to end a sequence of nine defeats in 12 games. The Egyptian did not disguise his belief he had been made a scapegoat, provoking divisive debate when Slot and Liverpool needed unity and calm – but was his claim justified?

Salah has the selfish streak and pride that is the preserve of all the greats – as was seen when then Manchester United manager Erik ten Haag, a Dutch countryman of Slot, dropped Cristiano Ronaldo at the end of his second spell at Old Trafford in November 2022. Ronaldo's response was to give an interview to Piers Morgan on TalkTV in which he complained, as Salah has effectively done now, that he was "betrayed by the club". Manchester United and Ronaldo agreed, within days, to cancel his contract. Salah's contract will not be cancelled.

Liverpool would, if they sold, demand a sizeable fee for a global figure who signed a new two-year contract in May, but such is the Egyptian's strength of feeling, reconciliation looks difficult. It remains to be seen whether Salah will even get the farewell he hinted at when Liverpool play Brighton on Saturday before he heads off to the Africa Cup of Nations.

So does the evidence support Salah's assertion that "it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame" and that "someone doesn't want me in the club"? Salah has been a shadow of his old self this season. For the first time, someone who looked at the peak of his physical and footballing powers last season has started to look his age. The contrast in numbers is stark and unflattering. He was the inspiration as Liverpool won a 20th title last season, scoring 34 goals in 50 starts in all competitions. This term he has made 16 starts, scoring only five times.

Salah's ability to do defensive dirty work was also called into question, with Chelsea's Marc Cucurella suggesting they targeted Liverpool's right flank in their 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge in October because he was "always ready to attack". Not a problem when Salah is providing a regular supply of goals, but brought into sharp focus when they dry up.

Salah, however, feels he is right to flag up he has hardly been Liverpool's only problem this season. He, more than anyone, has missed Trent Alexander-Arnold after his move to Real Madrid, the pair forming a magnificent partnership as Liverpool claimed major honours, including two Premier Leagues and the Champions League. Alexander-Arnold played 147 line-breaking passes for Salah when the title was won last season, the most any player provided for a team-mate in the Premier League.

Former Liverpool and England defender Stephen Warnock told BBC Sport: "Trent leaving has had an impact on Salah. Their partnership, if not exactly unnoticed, was almost taken as read. They are world class individuals, but it was also a partnership. "They really complemented each other. Trent could go inside, draw people towards him, which freed up more space for Salah. And when Salah drove at people he had the ability to feed Trent because teams were backing off."

Salah can also point elsewhere in Liverpool's team and wonder why others have not received the same treatment. Ibrahima Konate's poor form is irrelevant as he is a central defender and Liverpool lack cover, but Cody Gakpo's contribution on the left flank has been fleeting this season, the Netherlands international too predictable. Florian Wirtz has offered little since his £116m move from Bayer Leverkusen while Alexander Isak, a British record signing at £125m from Newcastle United, has scored one Premier League goal. And yet it is Salah who has been sacrificed.

Salah did not name names, but it is understandable a world class player and one of Liverpool's all-time greats would feel he has been singled out. The argument has merit. Its expression did not. Liverpool's head coach – whoever it was – would eventually have to handle a transition that would conclude Salah's Anfield career. This task has fallen to Slot.

The fact it comes so quickly after Salah won last season's Professional Footballers' Association player of the year, the Football Writers' Association Footballer Of The Year, as well as Premier League player of the year and the Golden Boot, makes it even more contentious. No player has limitless credit – think Steven Gerrard being nudged towards Anfield's door by Brendan Rodgers in 2015. Doing nothing was not an option. Dropping Salah was a pragmatic choice to stop Liverpool being so vulnerable and more defensively solid.

The champions have conceded 24 goals in 15 league games compared to 41 all last season. Slot also spent £450m in the summer, the clearest signal Liverpool were moving into a new era. In public, Slot has been nothing but respectful to Salah, although the player is convinced their relationship is now broken.

Slot said after Salah was dropped to the bench for the win at West Ham United, the first time in a Premier League game since April 2024: "No matter if he plays well or if he doesn't play well, if he plays or doesn't play, he will always be that top professional and that's what he was in the last two days." It should also be noted that Salah had only been on the bench for three games in six days before making a rare, but as always carefully calculated, stop to speak to reporters at Elland Road.

Slot also had to plan for the short and long term, with Salah leaving for AFCON after the Brighton game. The Dutchman must deal in reality not sentiment. He needed results quickly and Salah's numbers have not read well.

Salah's legs have not carried the pace of old. His dribble success is down to 23% this season compared to 56% in his first season. Can he still go past players? Slot places great store in winning duels – and Salah's rate is down to 28% from 38.7% in his first season.

Salah's exclusion has, to an extent, worked, with Liverpool winning twice and drawing twice in his absence, including the vital Champions League win against Inter Milan in the San Siro. Slot's selection at West Ham provided a clear signpost to life without Salah, as the all-round strength of Dominik Szoboszlai was deployed in his right flank role with Wirtz dropping behind a striker to pull the strings. He then used a diamond midfield in Milan, with Wirtz on the bench and Isak and Hugo Ekitike as twin strikers.

This means Slot can point to the fact Liverpool have not lost since Salah was dropped. The argument, however, will rage on.