-
Beth Lindop
Liverpool’s head coach Arne Slot has raised the question of whether Mohamed Salah should take the lead in addressing their recent discussions following his candid interview over the weekend.
Salah was left out of Liverpool’s squad for their 1-0 win against Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday after he accused Liverpool of having «thrown him under the bus» after the Reds’ 3-3 draw with Leeds United on Saturday. The striker also indicated that his relationship with Slot had deteriorated, with Slot acknowledging on Monday that he hadn’t had an extensive conversation with Salah since the event.
Dominik Szoboszlai took charge and scored the crucial penalty to secure victory.
When asked if he intends to speak with Salah in the near future, Slot remarked after the triumph over Inter: «You say everyone makes mistakes in life, so the first thing should be, does the player believe he has made a mistake as well?»
«I haven’t claimed that I won’t talk to him. And the subsequent question is whether the initiative should come from me or him. Now that’s a separate question to consider.»
When pressed to specify whether that indicates he anticipates Salah to reach out to him, Slot replied: «I am pleased you brought that up. Clarence [Seedorf] mentioned [during the broadcast] that in his view, I didn’t specify who should take the first step. Tonight, it should focus on the players present. In the vast history Liverpool has had, they have experienced numerous evenings like this.»
Slot expressed that he was moved by the encouragement received from the traveling Liverpool supporters at San Siro on Tuesday, with his name resonating at the final whistle.
«The fact that the fans sing for me holds significant value,» the Dutch coach stated. «However, I made it clear that this isn’t about me; it’s about the team. So many supporters are demonstrating their backing during a challenging time for the club.»
Despite a rough beginning to Liverpool’s Premier League title defense, the victory over Inter on Tuesday leaves Slot’s team in eighth place with 12 points after six matches in the league phase of the UCL. They sit in 10th in England’s top division, only three points behind Crystal Palace for the final Champions League slot for the upcoming season.
Liverpool will face Brighton on Saturday. Slot has not disclosed whether Salah will be part of the squad for that match.
