The rift between Mohamed Salah and Arne Slott threatened to tear Liverpool apart, but any notions of disharmony within the rest of the squad were dispelled at the San Siro on Tuesday night. With Salah remaining on Merseyside, the Reds bounced back from a difficult week with an impressive Champions League victory over Inter Milan, taking pressure off Arne Slott and providing further evidence of stabilizing a turbulent season.
Salah may not support the slot option, at least for the time being, but his teammates certainly do. Curtis Jones revealed in his speech after the final whistle on Tuesday night that the Dutchman maintains the support of the majority of the dressing room.
He said: “Do we support the manager? We always have. We always have. At the end of the day he’s a human being.
“If we lose a game, it affects him and it affects us as much as it affects the fans. He is a positive person and always makes changes.
“The style of play has changed a little bit. He’s still hungry and just like us. He’s there with us and we’re there with him.”
Recent developments, following Salah’s explosive reaction to his absence from last weekend’s game against Leeds United, show that change will not always be smooth.
The winger, who insisted he had nothing to do with Slott and felt he was being made a scapegoat for Liverpool’s lackluster display, was notably absent from the trip to Milan, increasing speculation about his future at the Premier League champions.
Further talks are expected to take place between Slott and Salah ahead of Brighton & Hove Albion’s visit this Saturday. Following this, the winger will join the national team for the African Cup of Nations.
But for the rest of Liverpool’s squad, results, rather than personal conflicts, set the tone in the dressing room.
Jones added: “It’s always a great feeling when you go out and win a game. We just won an important game against a great team.”
“The mood is high. If we concede a point against a team we should have won, we’re always going to be upset and we’re always going to question why. We went back, watched the game (against Leeds), made the changes and came here and won.”
When asked whether Salah’s comments had changed the atmosphere in the dressing room, Jones was categorical.
“No,” said the midfielder. “Mo is his own man. I can’t really talk about other guys or his business.
“We all know how legendary Mo is. I can’t say much about that. The situation he’s in, it’s not for me to say.”
Dominik Szoboszlai, who scored Liverpool’s second-half penalty at San Siro, agreed.
“I’m very good friends with him,” he revealed. “It has nothing to do with the players. What he does with his life and career is his own choice. I don’t think it has anything to do with the players, so I have nothing to say about it.”
“Do we want him to stay? It’s not our decision as a player. I love him as a person, as a friend of mine. As a player he has done a lot for this club. It will be a decision for the club and for him.”
