Liverpool coach Arne Slot has expressed his delight at the impending return of Mohamed Salah from Africa Cup of Nations duty, despite a public falling-out between the pair just weeks ago.
The tension followed a fiery post-match interview after Liverpool’s 3-3 draw at Leeds United, in which the Egyptian forward accused the club of throwing him “under the bus” and suggested that his relationship with Slot had broken down. Salah, 33, has been left on the bench for three matches and has not started for Liverpool since November.
“First off, he has to play another big game for Egypt on Saturday,” Slot told reporters ahead of Liverpool’s home game against Burnley. “I’m happy he’s coming back. If I had 15 attackers, I would still be happy to have him back.”
Slot highlighted the team’s progress this season, noting an 11-game unbeaten run across all competitions, though five Premier League draws during that stretch have left the champions fourth in the table, 14 points behind leaders Arsenal.
“Ideally, it’s not 11 games unbeaten, it’s 11 wins in a row. That is what we aim for,” Slot said. “From where we were when we conceded four goals against PSV Eindhoven to now, we are in a much better place, but there’s still room for improvement.”
The Dutch coach also acknowledged the pressure Liverpool faces to secure Champions League qualification, reflecting on the team’s strong start to the season and the points dropped in recent matches.
Slot praised the professionalism of Andy Robertson, who has seen his role reduced in the squad with Milos Kerkez taking his starting spot. The 31-year-old Scotland international has yet to commit his future to the club, but Slot commended his maturity and commitment.
“I have to give Andy a big compliment about what he said. It was very mature,” Slot said. “But I’m really happy he also feels he finds joy in the position he’s in and understands how important he has been to this club for all these years, and still is.”
With Salah set to return for Egypt’s third-place match against Nigeria on Saturday, Liverpool will be hoping their talisman can help the team regain momentum and close the gap on Arsenal in the Premier League race.
Melissa Enoch
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