Liverpool team’s personal feelings on the rift between Mohamed Salah and Arne Slott revealed following important Champions League win
Most of Liverpool’s squad favors Arne Slott over Mohamed Salah in the battle between the club’s head coach and talisman. The 33-year-old has only played 45 minutes in Liverpool’s last three Premier League games, with Slott looking to resolve a disastrous run of form.
The champions have not lost in that time, but have dropped points to newly promoted Leeds United and Sunderland. Salah, who remained an unused substitute in the 3-3 draw with the former, followed up the disrespect with a rant about his current situation.
The player claimed there was no longer a relationship between Slott and him and that someone at the club was trying to throw him under the bus, and hinted that his final game for Liverpool could be against Brighton this weekend.
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Slott then traveled to Italy and later left Salah out of the team that beat Inter Milan in the Champions League. Differences of opinion still exist, with the Daily Mail claiming that a source close to the situation said the players were firmly in favor of Slot, perhaps even more so after the Salah debacle.
It is also said that Liverpool’s new tactical adjustments for the European campaign, in which they have deployed a diamond-shaped 4-4-2, have received support from the team. The team believes it will bring out the best in multiple players while also adding more experienced names to the starting lineup.
Slott’s situational handling and people management have been cited as concerns, but his tactics and level of communication have kept things moving in his favor. Liverpool’s head coach also has support from senior leaders, including Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, who both enjoyed a big win in Milan.
As it stands, only one of Slott and Salah is on the verge of leaving the club, with the latter due to depart for AFCON after the game against Brighton.
The Liverpool manager remained defiant with his comments about Salah after the win in Italy, after fellow Dutchman Clarence Seedorf suggested he would approach the 33-year-old first.
He said, “Clarence said in his opinion (Mo and I should talk), but I said that was his opinion and didn’t say anything about who should take the first step or anything.
“That’s his opinion and I’m happy to make that clear. So tomorrow’s headline is not what I said. It was (Seedorf’s) opinion. My position is that tonight should be all about the players that are here.”
“They have had many nights like this in Liverpool’s rich history, but if we finish the season and win away against this team in this stadium, it will be about the midfield or Ibou (Konate) or the players here. They deserve all the credit.”
“I understand that I’m going to get a lot of questions about other things on Friday, but tonight the questions are about the guys here.”
Some of those gathered at the San Siro on Tuesday were asked about the awkward predicament surrounding Slott and Salah, and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk made his feelings clear.
“It’s not for me to say who should apologize. It’s (Salah) expressing his feelings. The club has to deal with this and him as well,” he said.
“This is a collective situation. There have been issues between Mo and the club and he is obviously not here today, helping us get the three points.
“I’ve known Mo for a long time. He’s a friend. We’ve been through ups and downs. We talk, but things like that stay indoors. We have to pull ourselves together and fight the noise outside.”
