Liverpool boss Arne Slot has finally spoken out after Mohamed Salah’s explosive claims that he has been left in the lurch by someone at the club.
The Egyptian star, who has been benched for three games in a row, hinted that his relationship with Slot has hit rock bottom. Despite training with Liverpool ahead of their Champions League clash with Inter, Salah was left out of the squad for the trip.
“The only person who can clarify whether Salah is referring to me throwing him under the bus is Mo himself,” Slot responded to Salah’s comments. “We informed him that he wouldn’t be traveling with us, and that’s been the extent of our communication. We’ve had many conversations before Saturday, some longer than others.”
Slot insisted that he doesn’t believe their relationship has deteriorated and was taken aback by Salah’s remarks. “He’s entitled to his feelings,” Slot remarked.
The Dutch coach commended Salah’s professionalism in training and with his teammates: “Usually when a player isn’t getting game time, they don’t have much love for the manager. But Salah has been respectful to my staff and teammates, and he’s worked hard in training.”
Slot also explained his decision to leave Salah out of the starting lineup. “We’ve struggled this season with opponents’ game plans, so I’ve tried various solutions,” Slot explained. “After trying different tactics against Forest and PSV, I opted for an extra midfielder against West Ham, which worked well. I continued with this approach against Sunderland and Leeds.”
Salah expressed his frustration at his lack of playing time, stating, “I couldn’t believe I was benched for the entire game. I’m very disappointed, considering all I’ve done for this club, especially last season. It feels like the club has abandoned me. We used to have a good relationship, but now it’s non-existent and I don’t know why.”
The 33-year-old hinted that his time at Liverpool may be coming to an end, sparking speculation from clubs across Europe, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. Salah will join up with Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations following Liverpool’s match against Brighton in the Premier League.
