Arne Slot has now responded to Mo Salah after his social media comments, and our head coach has done so in a way that should help defuse some of the tension before Sunday’s final game against Brentford.
The Egyptian’s post after our 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa created headlines everywhere, not least because he spoke about wanting Liverpool to return to being the “heavy metal attacking team” opponents feared.
Speaking at his pre-Brentford press conference at the AXA Training Centre, via Liverpool FC on YouTube, Slot was asked about Salah and his message ahead of the forward’s final appearance at Anfield.
The Dutchman said: “Mo and I both have the same interest: we want the best for this club. We want the club to be as successful as possible.”
It was a calm and measured response from the 47-year-old, especially given how much noise there has been around the situation since Salah’s post was published.
There would have been an easy opportunity for Slot to make this about himself, or to escalate matters publicly, but he instead tried to bring the conversation back to Liverpool and what both men want for the club.
That feels important because, whatever anyone thinks of the timing or tone of Salah’s message, nobody can sensibly question what the 33-year-old has given us since arriving from Roma in 2017.
Melissa Reddy defended Salah’s right to speak as someone who cares deeply about Liverpool, arguing that he’s often criticised for silence and then criticised again when he does speak.
That side of the debate will resonate with plenty, but there’s also no ignoring that Slot now has to manage the dressing room, the final-day pressure and a farewell atmosphere that could be emotionally complicated.
Liverpool still need to secure Champions League football, even if the table means we should be in a strong position, and that has to come before any individual storyline.
The big question now is whether Salah starts against Brentford, because the forward’s presence would dominate the build-up even more.
Slot’s answer suggests he wants unity rather than another public row, and after the chaos of recent weeks, that’s probably exactly what Liverpool need.
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