MANCHESTER, England (AP) – Liverpool manager Arn Slott said he was in talks with Mohamed Salah following his outburst on Friday. cast doubt on his Anfield future.
Salah said last week that his relationship with Slott had deteriorated after being dropped for three games in a row, leaving him feeling as follows. “Someone doesn’t want me in the club.”
The Egyptian forward was then left at home when Liverpool traveled to Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, but Slott said he did not know whether Salah would play for the club again.
Ahead of Saturday’s Premier League game against Brighton, Slott said he was in talks with Salah, suggesting the club icon could return to the team.
“I’m going to have a conversation with Mr. Mo this morning, and the outcome of that conversation will determine what (the team) does tomorrow,” Slott said in a press conference. “What I need to do is talk to him. I think the next time we talk about Mo, we should be with him, not here.”
Salah did not come on as a substitute in last week’s 3-3 draw with Leeds, but afterwards gave an impromptu interview to reporters outside the stadium.
“It seems like the club threw me under the bus, that’s how I feel. I think it’s clear that someone was trying to put all the blame (for the recent poor performance) on me,” he said.
Slott said these comments came after he had already spoken to the players.
“We spoke a lot last week after the Sunderland game (on December 3rd). I think there was a lot of conversation after the Sunderland game between his representatives and us, between our representatives and him, and between him and me. And today I will speak to him again.”
Salah, who has scored four goals in 13 league appearances this season, was omitted for the first time against West Ham last month. He was then on the bench against Sunderland and again against Leeds.
He has won the league title twice and the Champions League with Liverpool. He is also the club’s record goalscorer in the Premier League.
Salah is due to travel to the African Cup of Nations next week, but said last week he did not know what would happen in his absence.
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