Mohamed Salah: Liverpool boss Arne Slot provides update on star after restoring him to the squad for the Brighton victory
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has stressed there is “no issue to resolve” with Mohamed Salah, who once again made an impact off the bench in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Brighton at Anfield.
Salah had been left out of the squad for the Champions League win at Inter following his suggestion that his relationship with Slot had soured after Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United last Saturday.
Slot, however, welcomed Salah back into the fold for the Brighton match after holding talks on Friday. The substitute did not disappoint, crafting the assist for Hugo Ekitike’s second goal from a corner in what would be his final appearance before departing for AFCON with Egypt.
“For me, there is no issue to resolve,” Slot said after the win, which lifted Liverpool to sixth in the table.
“He is now the same as any player. You talk to your players if you are happy or unhappy with things, but there is nothing for me to discuss after what happened against Leeds.”
Salah’s return to form was notable as he helped Liverpool secure the victory and make history in the process. The Egypt forward now sits on 277 Premier League goal involvements for Liverpool (188 goals, 89 assists), the most by a single club player in the competition, surpassing Wayne Rooney’s 276 for Manchester United (183 goals, 93 assists).
Salah paused to clap the Anfield crowd, who sang his name throughout the afternoon after he came on, before heading to AFCON. There was no indication from him that this might be a permanent goodbye.
When asked if it was Salah’s last appearance for Liverpool, Slot replied: “He wasn’t the only player who walked around the pitch to thank the fans, because the fans deserved a thank you from us.”
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Slot spoke about Salah leaving for AFCON: “Mo is going to AFCON now. I hope he performs very well, and in the meantime we have to play here without him, with not many players available.”
Asked whether Salah had indicated a desire to stay at Liverpool, Slot hinted at a private conversation: “I think you already know the answer. What has been said between the two of us stays between us. You see that he was in the squad and I made him the first substitution. I never reveal the details of our talks.”
Salah had a solid outing after replacing the injured Joe Gomez in the first half, delivering a performance reflective of his capabilities and signaling a return to form that Slot hopes he can carry back to the team on his return from AFCON.
“Yeah, he’s a Liverpool player, and when he is here I like to use him,” Slot added. “Today he didn’t start as he had in previous games, but when he came on he produced a display you’d expect from him. He was close to another assist and was a constant threat.”
Slot praised Salah’s contribution as evidence that the team can rely on him when needed, even if minutes are limited.
Analysis: Salah quiets controversy by letting his performance speak
Zinny Boswell’s analysis noted that Salah did not speak in the mixed zone after the match, instead letting his on-pitch impact do the talking. Slot’s insistence that there is no issue to resolve appears to have drawn a line under the matter, at least for now.
Returning to action after 26 minutes due to Gomez’s injury, Salah played more than an hour and displayed the freedom that had been missing recently. While he missed a late chance, his overall performance suggested he still has much more to offer beyond goals. He created more chances (five) than any teammate and registered more final-third passes (19) than anyone else on the pitch.
Whether this marks a lasting resolution remains to be seen. The January transfer window looms, and rumors will continue until Salah speaks publicly. For now, he has silenced the chatter by delivering on the field.
