Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard says Mohamed Salah ‘needs to apologise’ as Steve McManaman says saga cannot continue into AFCON

‘Emotional’ Salah will regret comments but Liverpool ‘need’ him back – Gerrard

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Gerrard told TNT Sports: “As someone who is connected to the club, got a lot of respect for the club and the players and the hierarchy there, what I tried to do on the show is try and get a bit of common sense and pour a bit of cold water on the situation. We all know that he’s done this explosive interview.

“He said a couple of lines within the interview that are wrong, and I think he needs to apologise for that, and I hope that Virgil van Dijk, as his captain, as his leader, will help put that together.

“I’ve been in that situation myself. The reality is, as a Liverpool fan now, Mohamed Salah is a world-class footballer, and he’s Liverpool’s best goalscorer.

“He helped win the league last year, so we can’t all have short memories. He’s really important for the football club, unless the situation’s a lot worse than what we’re seeing.

Fans singing my name ‘means a lot’ – Slot

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“But from a fan point of view and an ex-player point of view, I wanted to put some common sense into it. He’s a world-class footballer.

“We need him, and hopefully the situation can be sorted out in the coming hours and days because no one, from a Liverpool perspective, needs this to go on.

“The result last night helped. They were fantastic. It was a top team performance. Another lift would be for this situation to be sorted out by the weekend, and he’s in the squad for the Brighton game.

“But the players last night and Arne Slot’s game plan and the tactics were magnificent. It’s the best Liverpool performance we’ve seen for some time.

“So hopefully, we start getting back to talking about the team’s results and performances.”

Slot responds to Salah questions after Inter win – ‘Should be about the players that are here’

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Slot was asked in his post-match interviews at the San Siro whether the onus was on him to make the first move by reaching out to Salah for peace talks.

That said, the timing of this month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) means Salah will be leaving to join up with his country from the start of next week, and could be away until mid-January.

Gerrard has urged this high-profile fracture to be brought to an end – but stopped short of placing all the responsibility on the shoulders of captain Virgil van Dijk to bring about a reconciliation.

Salah is a ‘very clever man’, interview was not ‘naive’ – McCoist

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“I wouldn’t say it’s on Virgil,” Gerrard added. “But as his captain and his leader, I’m sure that Virgil would want everything to be focused on the team and the performance going into the Brighton game.

“I think Mo and his representatives and the club need to come together. Whoever instigates it, it is probably more on Mo’s side than anyone else’s, and let’s hope that happens in the next few days.”

Gerrard: Let’s all be adults about it and move on

Gerrard nearly swapped Liverpool red for Chelsea blue in the summer of 2005, stunning supporters when he handed in a transfer request just six weeks after winning the Champions League in Istanbul.

‘Should be kept behind closed doors’ – Pundits debate Salah future after outburst

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Reflecting on his own experiences while a Liverpool player, Gerrard added: “Every situation is different, of course it is.

“There was also a fallout with Brendan (Rodgers) and Luis Suarez back in the day. I felt one of my duties as captain was to try to be the mediator and make sure that didn’t happen.

“We had Suarez training with the Under-23s. We had big games coming up. Our Liverpool team was much weaker.

“Without Luis Suarez, I felt it was my responsibility to try and help both sides of the situation, both for the benefit of the team and the fans.

‘Keep it inside the dressing room’ – Hargreaves, Hoddle discuss Salah situation

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“So I hope Andy Robinson and Virgil van Dijk will be going to Mo. Look, Mo, you’ve said a couple of things that are a little bit out of order here, a little bit wrong.

“Let’s get back to playing football together. We need you. Let’s all be adults about it and move on.”

McManaman: On Salah to instigate talks

TNT Sports expert Steve McManaman believes the Salah saga needs to be brought to an end as soon as possible for the benefit of the team.

When asked if captain Van Dijk should instigate the conversations with Salah, McManaman said: “No, I don’t think it’s on Virgil. I wouldn’t say it’s on Virgil.

Salah ‘not trying to disrespect anyone’ with explosive comments – Alisson

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“But as his captain and his leader, I’m sure that Virgil would want everything to be focused on the team and the performance going into the Brighton game. I think Mo, his representatives and the club need to come together. Whoever instigates it, it is probably more on Mo’s side than anyone else’s.

“Let’s hope that happens in the next few days. I think it could be any of the players. He’s had a relationship with Virgil for the last eight years, with Andy Robertson for the last eight years.

“Everybody’s close in that dressing room. If it were him, there might be a need to say to him, ‘come on, sort it out’. I’d have a word with him if I knew him for that long and say, ‘this is not good for the team. It’s not good for you. It’s not good for the team going forward.’ This has to be nipped in the bud before he goes to AFCON.

Slot has ‘no clue’ if Salah has played last game for Liverpool

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“You can’t have six weeks of everybody thinking of rumours and innuendos. Will he come back in January? It needs to be nipped in the bud now before he goes, because it will not do anybody any good if it carries on over the next six weeks.

“He leaves for AFCON on Monday, they’ve got Brighton at the weekend. It’d be nice if something is sorted out between now and Saturday.”