The ECHO’s Liverpool writers assess what might happen next with Mohamed Salah after an explosive interview spoke of broken promises at Anfield and a nonexistent relationship with Arne Slot
Mohamed Salah has set the woods on fire with his explosive claims that Liverpool have “thrown him under the bus”. After not starting three games in a row for the first time in his Anfield career, the Egyptian spoke out after Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United and he has dominated the agenda as a result.
Salah spoke of broken promises from the club and how he feels there are some unnamed officials who want him out of Anfield, just over six months since he became a two-time Premier League winner with a Golden Boot award to go with it.
The 33-year-old put pen to paper on the most lucrative deal in Anfield history in April when he signed a two-year extension but a troubling campaign under Arne Slot has led to many questions.
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Salah claimed his relationship with Slot is now nonexistent, which leads us to the question of just where Liverpool go from here with a player who is only outscored in club history by Roger Hunt and Ian Rush.
Here, our Liverpool writers have their say on a dramatic and developing story and what might happen now with the January transfer window on the horizon and Slot struggling to get a tune out of his squad.
Paul Gorst
So, just what happens now where Mohamed Salah is concerned? In the immediate short term, it’s fair to say it is he who everyone will have their eyes trained on when Liverpool come out for open training at the AXA Centre on Monday afternoon.
And it will be fascinating to see if Salah flies with the rest of his colleagues to Milan for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with last year’s runners-up Inter. There is no indication at this stage that he won’t be part of the travelling squad.
The pre-match press conference from the San Siro will be dominated by talk of Salah going nuclear after that 3-3 draw with Leeds United and Slot will have a lot of talking to do when it comes to his Egypt forward.
But beyond that, it really does feel like it’s anyone’s guess right now. Salah said he had invited his parents over for Saturday’s visit from Brighton & Hove Albion, regardless of whether or not he is set to feature, but it was interesting to hear the 33-year-old speak almost as though it could be his final game for the club.
It will be for now at least. Salah is set to jet out following that game to meet up with his Egypt colleagues for their Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco and perhaps a change of scenery might do the Liverpool superstar some good? Maybe he comes back with a renewed vigour? Or an extra spring in his step on the back of a positive tournament in north Africa?
For now, it’s likely best for all parties that Salah dips out of the Anfield spotlight for at least a week or three. The landscape may have changed considerably by the time he returns. Liverpool have two games to negotiate before that though, so expect the narrative to continue.
It’s clear the No.11 believes his relationship with Slot has broken down however on the back of three substitute spots after 53 consecutive Premier League starts previously.
Salah cannot bemoan that he has been benched at a time when he is performing to his usual standards, however, and the Reds are unbeaten while he hasn’t been starting games, even if the draws with Sunderland and Leeds have been disappointing.
Asked about interest from Saudi Arabia on Saturday night, Salah steered clear of adding further fuel to that fire but it is inconceivable the power-brokers in the Middle East aren’t licking their lips at the potential of bringing one of the most famous footballers on the planet to the Saudi Pro League on the back of this furore on Merseyside.
Right now, it feels like anything and everything is on the table. It sums up just how things have plummeted at Liverpool in recent months. But all that being said, surely it can’t all end like this, can it?
Mark Jones
Next up on the long list of things you didn’t think you’d say about Liverpool this season: Thank god for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The fact that the tournament in Morocco is coming up quickly gives everyone a natural point to pause and just let this situation breathe a little bit.
Mohamed Salah’s actions in the Elland Road mixed zone really didn’t do anyone any favours. Not the club. Not the fans. Not Arne Slot. And certainly not Salah himself.
In the short-term, if Salah promises he’ll knuckle down and be part of the squad, respecting Slot’s decisions whether he’s in or out of the starting lineup, then I see no issue why he shouldn’t be involved against both Inter Milan and Brighton, after which he’ll be jetting off to Morocco and everyone will be able to take stock.
Perhaps it was always a little naive to expect Salah, the ultra-competitive record chaser that he is, to simply stand idly by and watch as Liverpool embarked on the rather large task of building a team for the post-Salah world, something that they obviously have to do given that their premier source of goals for each of the last eight seasons before this one turned 33 in the summer.
That is something that Arne Slot would have to be considering even if things were going well, but given that this Liverpool season has already come crashing down in a complex web of psychological pressures and individual errors, Salah’s mixed zone message really was not needed.
If he isn’t seen in training on Monday and then doesn’t travel to Milan then you can probably say his days at Liverpool are numbered and he won’t be likely to be a Reds player beyond January, however jarring those words are to read and write.
If he is then an uneasy alliance continues for a little bit longer at least, although this really does feel like the career of one of Liverpool’s greatest ever is coming to an unedifying close either way.
