Tag: Liverpool

Virgil van Dijk wants Mohamed Salah to stay at Liverpool despite the Egyptian star’s incendiary rant about the club, but the Reds captain admits he does not know what will happen over the next few weeks.

Salah came off the bench against Brighton on Saturday for his first appearance since claiming he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club following last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Leeds.

The forward also said in the same interview at Elland Road that he had no relationship with Liverpool manager Arne Slot, who had named him as a substitute for three straight games.

Salah was then omitted from the midweek Champions League trip to Inter Milan, a 1-0 win for Liverpool, but he was back in action as a first-half substitute against Brighton.

The 33-year-old provided an assist for Hugo Ekitike’s second goal in a much-needed 2-0 win, but will now jet to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and could be absent for five weeks.

After the match, Slot said there was “no issue to resolve” with his star forward, but speculation continues to rumble over the player’s future.

Van Dijk is adamant that he wants Salah to stay and said he had told him so.

“I would love to have him around because he is one of the leaders, but the fact is he is going to AFCON. We will be in contact over the next days and weeks like we always are and let’s see,” the Dutch defender said.

“I wish him absolutely all the best — and (to) come back, hopefully. I have no control over that.

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“We hope he will be absolutely successful there, and we all hope he will be coming back to be important for the rest of the season.

“But, on the other side of it, we all know football and have no idea what is going to happen.”

Premier League champions Liverpool ended a tumultuous week by extending their unbeaten run to five matches in all competitions.

Van Dijk said it proved the dressing room had not been distracted by the Salah situation.

“As a captain I have to deal with how the boys react to it and they reacted perfectly fine. Mo, in the end, reacted perfectly fine as well,” he added.

Van Dijk also praised Slot for dealing with a tumultuous period at Liverpool, whose Premier League title defence has collapsed in recent weeks.

“There is a lot of noise, pressure from the outside world and rightly so as we’ve not been close to the standard we were showing last season,” he said.

“But personally looking at it, and from the conversations we have on a daily basis, I think he has handled it very well.

“This moment of time is a very good moment to see how everyone responds. I think the manager has done perfectly.”

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Mohamed Salah played a key role in Liverpool’s vital win against Brighton on Saturday after an explosive interview raised questions over his future at the club, as Arsenal avoided a major embarrassment against Wolves.

The Egypt forward, the subject of intense scrutiny in the build-up to the game at Anfield, came off the substitutes’ bench to huge cheers in the first half, replacing injured defender Joe Gomez.

The home team, whose Premier League title defence has collapsed after a shocking run of results, were leading 1-0 at the time, with France forward Hugo Ekitike on the scoresheet after just 46 seconds.

Brighton squandered a number of opportunities to level, and Ekitike scored his second with half an hour to go, heading home Salah’s corner.

The Egyptian superstar now has 277 goal involvements for Liverpool in the Premier League — 188 goals and 89 assists — a new record by a player for a single club in the competition, overtaking Wayne Rooney’s mark for Manchester United.

Saturday marked a dramatic change of mood around Salah, who last week accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after he was left on the bench for the 3-3 draw at Leeds.

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That was the third match in a row that he had been named among the replacements.

The 33-year-old winger also said he had no relationship with manager Arne Slot in his extraordinary outburst and was omitted from the midweek Champions League trip to Inter Milan, which Liverpool won 1-0.

After Saturday’s win, Slot said there was “no issue to resolve” with Salah, though uncertainty remains over his long-term future at the club.

“For me he’s now the same as any other player,” said the Dutchman.

“You talk to your players if you’re happy or unhappy with things, but there’s nothing for me to talk about after what happened against Leeds, after the game.”

He added: “I spoke to him yesterday and I think, as I usually never say anything about (what) we talk about, I’m not going to make an exception now, but I think actions speak louder than what has been said.

“He was in the squad again and when I had to make my first substitutions, I brought him in. And he performed as I think every fan, including me, would like him to perform today.”

Salah will now depart for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and could potentially be absent for five weeks.

The 2-0 win — Liverpool’s first at Anfield since November 4 — lifts Slot’s men to sixth in the table.

But their title defence is in ruins after a terrible run of just two wins in 10 league matches before the visit of Brighton.

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Mohamed Salah has been included in Liverpool’s squad for their Premier League match at home to Brighton on Saturday following talks with manager Arne Slot, according to several British media reports.

Both the BBC and Sky said the decision was made with Slot, who had made it clear he would have the final say on whether to recall Salah, wanting to act in the best interests of the club.

The Dutchman had previously said he would speak to Salah on Friday morning following the Egypt striker’s outburst last weekend that raised doubts about his Anfield future and saw him omitted from the squad that travelled to Italy for a Champions League win over Inter Milan in midweek.

Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after he was left on the bench for last week’s 3-3 draw at Leeds — the third match in a row that he did not start.

He also said he had no relationship with Slot when he spoke to reporters after the match at Elland Road.

On Tuesday, Liverpool won 1-0 at Inter Milan, while the 33-year-old Salah posted a picture on social media of himself alone in a gym at the club’s training ground.

“I will have a conversation with Mo this morning — the outcome of that conversation determines how things will look tomorrow,” Slot told his pre-match press conference.

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“I think the next time I speak about Mo should be with him and not in here. You can keep on trying, but there is not much more to say about it.

“After the Sunderland game (a 1-1 draw on December 3 in which Salah came on as a second-half substitute) there were a lot of conversations between his representatives and ours, between him and me.”

Slot batted away further questions from reporters about the forward, but said: “I have no reasons not wanting him to stay, and that is a little bit of an answer to your question.”

Salah, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April, which made him one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League, is due to join the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations after Saturday’s Brighton game at Anfield.

The length of his absence depends on how far Egypt go in the competition in Morocco, with the final taking place on January 18.

Salah, third in Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts with 250 goals in 420 appearances, has won two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph during his spell on Merseyside.

He scored 29 Premier League goals last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title, but has managed just four league goals in 13 appearances this season.

Liverpool are 10th in the table after a shocking run, with two wins in their past 10 Premier League games.

Salah has been linked with a move to the lucrative Saudi Pro League.

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Liverpool boss Arne Slot said he would speak to Mohamed Salah on Friday morning before deciding on the forward’s availability for this weekend’s match against Brighton.

The Egypt international accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after he was left on the bench for last week’s 3-3 draw at Leeds, the third match in a row that he did not start.

Salah also said he had no relationship with the Dutch manager when he spoke to reporters after the match at Elland Road.

The 33-year-old was left out of the squad for Tuesday’s Champions League match at Inter Milan, which Liverpool won 1-0, posting a picture on social media of himself alone in a gym at the club’s training ground.

“I will have a conversation with Mo this morning; the outcome of that conversation determines how things will look tomorrow,” Slot told his pre-match press conference.

“I think the next time I speak about Mo should be with him and not in here. You can keep on trying, but there is not much more to say about it.

“After the Sunderland game (a 1-1 draw on December 3 in which Salah came on as a second-half substitute), there were a lot of conversations between his representatives and ours, between him and me.”

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Slot batted away further questions from reporters about the forward, but said: “I have no reason not wanting him to stay, and that is a little bit of an answer to your question.”

Salah, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April, which made him one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League, is due to join the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations after Saturday’s Brighton game at Anfield.

The length of his absence depends on how far Egypt go in the competition in Morocco, with the final taking place on January 18.

Salah, third in Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts with 250 goals in 420 appearances, has won two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph during his spell on Merseyside.

He scored 29 Premier League goals last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title, but has managed just four league goals in 13 appearances this season.

Liverpool are 10th in the table after a shocking run, with just two wins in their past 10 Premier League games.

Salah has been linked with a move to the lucrative Saudi Pro League.

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Liverpool great Steven Gerrard believes the club still needs Mohamed Salah as he urged the star forward to “reverse away” from an extraordinary outburst where he accused the faltering Premier League champions of “throwing him under the bus”.

The Egypt international was omitted from the squad that travelled to Italy for Tuesday’s 1-0 Champions League win at Inter Milan following a blistering attack on manager Arne Slot and the club hierarchy after being left on the bench for last weekend’s 3-3 draw at Leeds.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher labelled Salah a “disgrace” for his comments, but Gerrard urged the player and management to reunite for the good of everyone at Anfield.

“He’s obviously really upset he’s not playing, which I respect,” former Liverpool captain Gerrard told TNT Sports.

“A couple of lines about throwing people under the bus, wrong. Need to reverse a little bit away from that, to deal with that with the manager.”

Gerrard added bust-ups between players and management were nothing new.

“I’ve seen this and I’ve lived it with (Luis) Suarez when he fell out with Brendan (Rodgers) face to face.

I’ve been there and done it myself. I did the Salah statements in 30 seconds against (Manchester) United and got sent off,” he explained.

“So no one’s perfect and we’ve all had head loss as players, where we’ve done emotional things,” said Gerrard, who hoped Salah would eventually realise he had been a “bit emotional and a bit hasty”.

Salah’s remarks sparked reports that Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer in history could leave Anfield in January despite signing a lucrative new contract in April.

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The 33-year-old posted a picture of himself training alone in Liverpool’s weights room on Tuesday.

Salah’s outburst has piqued interest in Saudi Arabia, with a source at the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) telling AFP it will do “whatever it can” to buy him.

Gerrard, however, said: “At the end of the day, Liverpool need Mo Salah back playing well, scoring goals because he is the best player, the best scorer, and he will help them get out of this.

If this goes on, this is bigger than what we all know and what we see.”

Salah is set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations after next weekend’s home Premier League match against Brighton.

An unused substitute at Leeds, Salah told reporters at Elland Road: “I said many times before that, I had a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden we don’t have any relationship.

“I don’t know why but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.”

Salah made his explosive comments in the midst of a dismal season for both him and Liverpool.

He has played a key role in Liverpool’s two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph during his iconic spell on Merseyside.

But he has scored just four goals in 13 Premier League appearances this season, with Liverpool 10th in the table.

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Mohamed Salah reported for Liverpool training on Tuesday as doubts continued to grow about the star striker’s future at the Premier League champions.

The Egypt forward was left out of Liverpool’s squad for their Champions League tie at Inter Milan on Tuesday following his extraordinary public criticism of Reds manager Arne Slot after he was left on the bench for the third consecutive game.

Salah drove himself to Liverpool’s training base in Kirkby on Tuesday and posted an Instagram picture of himself in the facility’s gym.

 

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A post shared by Mohamed Salah (@mosalah)

The 33-year-old said after the 3-3 draw with Leeds on Sunday that he felt like he had been “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool and no longer had a relationship with Slot, sparking reports the Egyptian could be on his way out of Anfield in January despite signing a new contract in April.

Saudi clubs are reportedly preparing to make offers for Salah.

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Asked at a pre-match press conference in Milan on Monday, whether Salah, who has scored 250 times for Liverpool since signing from Roma in 2017, had played his last game for the Reds, Slot replied: “I have no clue.

“I cannot answer that question at this point in time.

“He has every right to feel what he feels, but he doesn’t have the right to share it with the media.”

Salah, who was not even used as a substitute at Elland Road, is set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations after next weekend’s home match against Brighton in the Premier League.

He said he was “very, very disappointed” to have again been named among the substitutes at Leeds, adding: “I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am on the bench for three games, so I can’t say they keep the promise.

“I said many times before that, I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden we don’t have any relationship.

“I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.”

Salah made his explosive comments in the midst of a dismal season for both him and Liverpool.

The Reds have won just four times in 15 matches in all competitions and sit 13th in the Champions League with nine points after being thumped 4-1 at home by PSV Eindhoven in their most recent European outing.

Salah has played a key role in Liverpool’s two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph during his iconic spell on Merseyside.

But he has been a shadow of his former self during Liverpool’s struggles this season — the title-holders are 10th in the table — with just four goals in 13 top-flight appearances.

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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot insisted that his relationship with Mohamed Salah has not broken down, even after dropping the star attacker from their trip to face Inter Milan in the Champions League.

“That’s not the way I feel, but he has the right to feel how he feels things. I haven’t felt that at all,” said Liverpool coach Slot to supporters.

The Egyptian forward was not taken to Italy despite training earlier in the day with the first team, after saying he felt like he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club and no longer had a relationship with Slot.

Salah made those comments after he was left on the bench for the third consecutive game in a 3-3 draw against Leeds.

Asked whether Salah, who has scored 250 times for Liverpool since signing from Roma in 2017, had played his last game for the Reds, Slot said: “I have no clue.”

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“I cannot answer that question at this moment in time,” added Arne Slot. “He has every right to feel what he feels, but he doesn’t have the right to share it with the media.”

Liverpool are struggling in ninth place in the Premier League and are in a crisis of form, which has only been made worse by Salah’s criticism of Slot.

Liverpool have won just four times in 15 matches in all competitions and sit 13th in the Champions League with nine points after being thumped 4-1 at home by PSV Eindhoven in their most recent European outing.

Mohamed Salah is the club’s highest-paid player in history, having signed a new contract in April, and played a key role in Liverpool’s two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph during his iconic spell on Merseyside.

But Salah has been a shadow of his former self during Liverpool’s struggles this season; the Premier League champions are now ninth in the table, with just four goals in 13 top-flight appearances.

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Mohamed Salah took aim at Liverpool manager Arne Slot in an astonishing rant that could spell the end of his legendary career at Anfield after claiming he has been “thrown under the bus” during the Premier League champions’ slump in form.

The Egyptian was left on the bench for the third consecutive game in Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds and was not even introduced as a substitute by Slot.

After next weekend’s home match against Brighton, Salah is set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and hinted that it could be his final appearance in a Liverpool shirt should he be selected.

“I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season,” Salah told reporters in the mixed zone at Elland Road.

“Now I’m sitting on the bench, and I don’t know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.

“I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am in the bench for three games, so I can’t say they keep the promise.

I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship. I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.

“This club, I always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much, I will always do. I called my mum yesterday — you guys didn’t know if I would start or not, but I knew.

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“Yesterday I said to (my parents), ‘Come to the Brighton game.’ I don’t know if I am going to play or not, but I am going to enjoy it.

“In my head, I’m going to enjoy that game because I don’t know what is going to happen now. I will be at Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go the Africa cup. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”

Salah is Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer of all time with 250 goals in 420 appearances, winning two Premier League titles and the Champions League since joining from Roma in 2017.

However, he has been a shadow of his former self during Liverpool’s struggles this season.

Slots’ men have won just two of their last 10 Premier League games to slip to eighth in the table.

Salah has scored just five times in 19 appearances this season but had been a regular starter until last weekend’s 2-0 win at West Ham.

The 33-year-old was introduced off the bench during Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against Sunderland but to little effect.

Slot defended his decision to leave Salah on the bench at Elland Road as Liverpool led for the majority of the second half before conceding a stoppage-time equaliser.

“It was more about controlling the game [at 3-2], and we didn’t need a goal,” said Slot.

“Normally when you need a goal, like last week against Sunderland, I brought Mo on.”

Salah has long since attracted interest from the Saudi Pro League, and the Gulf could offer his most likely escape route from Anfield during the January transfer window.

He signed a lucrative new two-year contract in April after his starring role in guiding Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.

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Arne Slot insisted Friday that Liverpool have taken a “step forward” in their past two matches and believes Florian Wirtz is finally finding his feet as he attempts to save the club’s season.

Liverpool’s Premier League title defence has collapsed in recent weeks, with six defeats and just two wins in their past nine league games.

But despite their disastrous run, they are just two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea ahead of Saturday’s trip to struggling Leeds.

Ninth-placed Liverpool have taken four points in their past two matches, with a 2-0 victory at West Ham followed by this week’s 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland.

That followed three thumping defeats — a 3-0 reverse at Manchester City before a 3-0 loss at Anfield against Nottingham Forest, and a 4-1 defeat at home to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

“Four points out of two games is different than the last two home games we played,” Liverpool manager Slot told reporters.

“We lost both and conceded seven goals. In the last two games, we were one deflection away from keeping two clean sheets.”

The Dutchman added: “That’s a step forward if you compare that to seven goals conceded in two games. We did not concede a set-piece in both games, which is also important.

“As a result of that, maybe we got two results, and I think there are also positives to take from the players we’ve brought in during the summer that I see they are getting more and more consistent in their performances.

“Florian (Wirtz) is maybe the most obvious one, but I see the same with Milos Kerkez as well. Alex (Alexander Isak) scored his first (Premier League) goal a game ago.

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“So there are positives to take, but of course still not where we want to be, let that be obvious and clear. But compared to where we were after the last two losses with 3-0 and 4-1, there are also things that we’ve done better.”

Liverpool spent around £450 million ($600 million) on new players in the summer transfer window, revamping their attack with the big-money arrivals of German playmaker Wirtz and Isak.

But both players have been slow to settle, with Wirtz yet to score in any competition although it was his run and shot that led to Liverpool’s equaliser against Sunderland on Wednesday. It was credited as an own goal.

Slot admitted his first aim was to get back into the top four, which brings with it a Champions League place.

He said the fact Liverpool were still within touching distance of the top four showed the strength of the Premier League.

“It gets better and better every single season, for obvious reasons, because everybody has so much money,” he said.

“And that tells you indeed how close the margins still are, but it’s definitely our first aim to come back to top four.”

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Virgil van Dijk says Mohamed Salah omission from Liverpool’s team for a second successive match shows no player at the club has “unlimited credit”.

The Egypt international was an unused substitute for Sunday’s win at West Ham and was on the bench for the 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland on Wednesday.

Virgil van Dijk opens up on Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool omission

It was the first time in his Anfield career that he had not started in back-to-back league matches.

The forward was brought on for the second half against Sunderland but struggled to make an impact and is now goalless in five matches.

Salah has scored just four Premier League goals for the struggling defending champions this season, in stark contrast to his haul of 29 last season.

Liverpool captain Van Dijk was asked after the Sunderland draw whether Salah’s omission had sent a message to the dressing room.

“That’s always been the case,” he said. “It’s not like you have unlimited credit; everyone has to perform.

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“Mo has been doing that but the manager made that decision in the last two games. We all want the best for the club.

“I am pretty sure Mo will still be a big part of what we are trying to achieve because he is an amazing player and he has shown it consistently.”

Van Dijk praised playmaker Florian Wirtz, whose shot deflected in off Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele for a late Liverpool equaliser that left them eighth in the table.

The German, who joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer transfer window for £116 million ($155 million), is showing encouraging signs after a tough start to life at Anfield.

“There’s a very good reason why a club like us bought him,” said Van Dijk. “He’s an outstanding, world-class player, in my eyes, who can only become even better, but it will take a bit of time.

“For him he has to stay level-headed. Don’t get dragged into the outside world of when it’s very good or very bad, and don’t get dragged into the numbers game.

“Nowadays there are a lot of eyes on you if you score goals or have an assist or keep clean sheets, but it is also about what you see and the contribution you have for the team.”

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