Former England striker Wayne Rooney has criticised a senior Liverpool forward for his recent public comments, claiming the player is “destroying his legacy” at Anfield. Speaking to BBC Sport, Rooney said the remarks — made after Liverpool’s disappointing result last night, were “unacceptable” and showed disrespect to his teammates, manager, and fans.
Rooney believes new Liverpool manager Arne Slot must take strong action to maintain dressing-room authority. “Arne Slot has to show his authority, pull him in and say, ‘you are not travelling with the team, what you said is not acceptable’,” Rooney said, insisting the situation demands an immediate response from the Dutch coach.
The former Manchester United captain went further, saying he would not include the forward in the squad if he were in Slot’s position. “Take yourself off to AFCON and let everything calm down. If I was him [Slot], there would be no way he would be in the team,” Rooney stated.
Rooney also emphasised how the outburst may have affected squad harmony, particularly at a critical stage of Liverpool’s season. “If I was one of his team-mates, I wouldn’t be happy at all with what he said because this is where Liverpool need him most,” he added.
