Mohamed Salah was at the centre of a fierce disagreement on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday, with the panel having plenty to say about the forward’s current situation
Paul Merson and Clinton Morrison were embroiled in a heated debate over Mohamed Salah’s situation in the Soccer Saturday studio. The Liverpool forward found himself in hot water last week when he delivered a scathing assessment of Arne Slot, claiming there is ‘no relationship’ between himself and his manager.
It came off the back of Salah being benched for recent clashes with West Ham, Sunderland and Leeds United, failing to even make it onto the field of play against the Hammers and the Peacocks, respectively. After a 3-3 draw with Leeds last Saturday, Salah spoke to reporters about being phased out of Slot’s starting XI.
He said: “I don’t know what to say. It’s kind of funny, I couldn’t believe it. It’s a disappointing result for us as a team. We conceded silly goals. I could not help my team-mates because I am on the bench.
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“I could not believe I was sitting on the bench for 90 minutes. That’s the third time. It’s the first time in my career I think. I am very disappointed, I have done so much for this club over years, especially last season, It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus.
“That’s how I feel it. Someone wants me to get all the blame. The club promised me a lot in summer. Now I’m on bench so I can say they haven’t kept those promises.
“I used to have a good relationship (with Slot). Now we don’t have any relationship and I don’t know why. Seems like someone does not want me in the club.”
Ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, the Sky Sports Soccer Saturday panel discussed Salah’s scathing assessment of his manager, as well as his demeanour upon arriving at Anfield this weekend.
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Salah was spotted walking into the ground with a stern look on his face, as a number of his team-mates around him sported smiles. And Merson was quick to claim that the forward was making a point with his frosty entrance.
He said: “When he done his interview, that was in the moment. He was in the moment, he’s frustrated, he’s in the moment. This is not in the moment, this is a show up.
“This is show. He can choose now how to be. That moment when he done that, it was, ‘Bang! I’m fuming, I’ve said something.’ Maybe shouldn’t have said it. This is not. He knows the other day he wouldn’t be in the team. He’ll have had a chat. Then you’ve got to be going, ‘Wait there a minute, I’ve gotta come in…'”
However, Morrison was quick to defend Salah, claiming that it wasn’t just him who looked downcast upon arriving at the ground given the club’s recent poor run of form. He argued: “Show every player that come off that coach.
“I can guarantee you every player wasn’t smiling. Because it’s Mo Salah, you’re making a big meal out of it.” Merson shouted back: “No, no, no,” before presenter Simon Thomas – sensing how things had turned tense – stepped in to move the conversation on to something else.
Despite starting on the bench for the Brighton match, Salah entered the fray midway through the first half as a substitute for Joe Gomez, as Dominik Szoboszlai slotted in at right-back. He was also greeted with an ovation from Liverpool fans as he made his way onto the field.
Liverpool ultimately won their clash with Brighton 2-0 thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike on either side of half-time, with Salah grabbing an assist for his second. As a result, they currently sit sixth in the Premier League standings with a total of eight wins, two draws and six losses to show for their efforts.
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