Salah

Liverpool and Egypt star forward Mohamed Salah is centred on winning his first Africa Cup of Nations title.

Egypt captain Mohamed Salah ‌has put aside his travails at Liverpool and is focused on Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) ‍success with his national ‍team, coach Hossam Hassan said on Sunday.

Egypt’s talisman is at the tournament in Morocco on the back of a fiery outburst after being dropped by the Premier League champions, but his comments and subsequent apology to teammates have had no impact on his form, Hassan ⁠said ahead of Egypt’s opening Group B match against Zimbabwe in Agadir on Monday.

“Salah’s morale in training is ​very high, as if he were just starting out with the national team, and ‍I believe he will have a great tournament with his country,” said the coach.

At 33, it is arguably Salah’s last chance to win an elusive trophy with Egypt and add international honours to an impressive collection of medals at club ‍level.

“I believe Salah ⁠will be among the best players at the tournament, and he will remain an icon and one of the best players in the world.

“I support him technically and morally, because we cannot forget that Salah needs to win the Africa Cup of Nations,” Hassan added.

Liverpool struggles on the backburner

Salah goes into Monday’s match having last started for Liverpool in their 4-1 home loss to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League at the end of November.

He was dropped for the next game against West ​Ham United, and after a draw with Leeds United on December 6, lashed ‌out at the club and Liverpool coach Arne Slot, telling journalists he felt he had been made a scapegoat for their poor start to the season and suggested that he may not have long left at Anfield.

Hassan said he had kept in ‌touch with his captain throughout the controversy.

“There was constant communication with Mohamed Salah during what I don’t want to call a crisis because any player ‌can have a difference of opinion with his coach at his ⁠club.”

Salah has not scored since Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa at the start of November, including an outing with Egypt in a friendly against Uzbekistan last month.

“The same situation happened with Salah when he went through a period of not scoring goals with ‌Liverpool,” Hassan told reporters.

“Then he returned to the right path through the national team, and as a result, he came back at a level even better than before. I believe he will deliver a strong ‍tournament alongside his teammates.”

Salah has twice been a Cup of Nations runner-up, in 2017 and 2021. Egypt have won a record seven AFCON titles, but their last success was in 2010.

Salah delivered the corner from which Hugo Ekitike scored Liverpool‘s second goal in a 2-0 win at Anfield against Brighton and that was the cue for home fans to sing his chant.

He did a lap of the pitch at full-time in his final appearance before joining up with Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations.

However, his comments after the Leeds game have put a question mark over his Liverpool future, especially with Saudi Pro League clubs interested in him and the January transfer window coming up.

Former Reds defender Jamie Carragher described Salah’s aside as a “disgrace”, while ex-Blackburn and Celtic striker Chris Sutton said the controversial remarks had caused “carnage” at the club.

Speaking before the Tottenham game, Slot said “we moved on” as he attempted to draw a line under the issue.

Jones added: “I get that there are certain ways you can go about things, but if a lad’s fine to just be on the bench and he doesn’t want to play and help the team, then I think that’s more of an issue.

“When there’s been any sort of anger from us, including myself, it’s always been from a good place.

“In the moment, it might not have come out in the right way, but it’s never been to affect the team, the staff, the manager, anybody like that.

“We’re past that now and we’re gelling well as a team, playing well and starting to win games.”

Mohamed Salah came off the bench to assist the second of Hugo Ekitike’s double as Liverpool returned to winning ways.

Mohamed Salah set up a goal in Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Brighton as he returned to action after an explosive outburst cast doubt over his future at the Premier League champions.

The Egypt forward, the subject of intense scrutiny in the build-up to the game at Anfield, came off the substitutes’ bench to huge cheers in the 26th minute on Saturday, replacing injured defender Joe Gomez.

The home team, whose title defence has collapsed after a shocking run of results, were leading 1-0 at the time, with France forward Hugo Ekitike on the scoresheet after just 46 seconds.

Brighton squandered a number of opportunities to level, and Ekitike scored again with half an hour to go to give Liverpool breathing space.

Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after he was left on the bench for last week’s 3-3 draw at Leeds – the third match in a row that he had been named among the replacements.

He also said that he had no relationship with manager Arne Slot.

Salah was omitted from the midweek Champions League trip to Inter Milan, which Liverpool won 1-0, posting a picture on social media of himself alone in the gym.

Slot said at Friday’s pre-match news conference that he would speak to the forward later in the day, adding, “I have no reasons [in] not wanting him to stay.”

Salah not made to wait long for substitute role to delight of Liverpool faithful

There was feverish speculation in the build-up to Saturday’s match about what role Salah would play, with the winger named on the bench.

Liverpool, who had won just two of 10 Premier League matches before the Brighton game, made a lightning start, taking the lead in the first minute when Joe Gomez set up Ekitike, who thumped the ball past Bart Verbruggen.

Salah entered the fray about 20 minutes before half-time when Gomez was withdrawn.

Brighton’s Diego Gomez squandered a good chance to level early in the second half, striking the ball against the outside of a post, and Brajan Gruda also went close as the home crowd chanted Salah’s name.

Liverpool doubled their lead in the 60th minute when Ekitike scored his second, nodding home Salah’s corner.

Salah himself went close in stoppage time after he was set up by Federico Chiesa, but he blazed over.

The win lifts Slot’s men to sixth in the table ahead of the later kickoffs on Saturday, easing the pressure on the beleaguered manager.

Salah departure from Liverpool for AFCON or for good?

Salah, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April, is about to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The length of his absence depends on how far Egypt go in the competition in Morocco, with the final taking place on January 18.

The forward, who has been linked with a move to the lucrative Saudi Pro League, had invited his family to the Brighton game as speculation swirled over his future.

“I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to the Africa Cup,” he told reporters last week. “I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”

Salah, third in Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts with 250 goals, has won two Premier League titles and one Champions League crown during his spell on Merseyside.

He scored 29 Premier League goals last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title, but has managed just four league goals this season.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is in the squad for Saturday’s Premier League match against Brighton after positive talks with head coach Arne Slot on Friday.

It is understood the decision was made with Slot wanting to act in the best interests of the club, particularly with a number of players out through injury.

Issues still remain unresolved and those will continue to be tackled by Liverpool and Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas, while the player is at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Salah, 33, was left out of the travelling squad for Liverpool‘s Champions League trip to Inter Milan on Tuesday after claiming his relationship with Slot had broken down and that he had been “thrown under the bus”.

That outburst came at Elland Road following Liverpool‘s 3-3 draw against Leeds, where the forward was on the bench for the third game in a row.

In that interview, Salah said that Saturday’s game would be an opportunity to say goodbye to Anfield and that he had invited his mother to attend.

In his pre-game news conference earlier on Friday, Slot said there were “no reasons to not want Mohamed Salah to stay” at the club.

Pushed on the future of the Egyptian, who signed a new two-year contract in April, Slot added: “I will have a conversation with Mo. The outcome of that conversation determines how things will look.”

Who: Liverpool vs Brighton
What: English Premier League
Where: Anfield in Liverpool, United Kingdom
When: Saturday, December 9, at 3pm (15:00)
How to follow: We’ll have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 12:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.

All eyes will be on the Liverpool team sheet when it is released at roughly the same time the bus carrying the squad will arrive at Anfield for the Brighton match on Saturday.

Speculation is rife that the Premier League match could be Mohamed Salah’s last for the defending champions, following the public fallout with the club.

The Reds, and their beleaguered manager Arne Slot, will hope the focus is very much on the football and turning around a form book that has seen the Merseyside club fall to 10th in the table.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at a game that will be the focus of the Saturday agenda in the English top flight, and beyond.

What is the latest on Salah’s future at Liverpool?

Salah has not started a game for Liverpool since the 4-1 defeat at PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League on November 26.

The Egyptian forward was benched for the following three Premier League games and, following fierce criticism of the club’s treatment of him, was then dropped from the squad that travelled to Italy to face Inter Milan on Tuesday – a game the Reds won 1-0.

Speculation has mounted surrounding a move to the Saudi Pro League since Salah’s outburst following last Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds United, when the 33-year-old claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” for their recent woes on the field.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said on Friday morning that he would speak with Salah to decide whether the forward would return to the match-day squad for the Brighton game.

The eyes and ears of the world, and in particular in Saudi Arabia, will be on the Anfield club for news of the team and the squad before kickoff against Brighton on Saturday.

What has Liverpool’s form been in the Premier League this season?

The Reds have lost six of their games in the Premier League this season – part of a run that saw them lose nine of 12 games in all competitions.

The struggling title holders have taken five points from their last three league games, however, starting with a 2-0 win at West Ham – the first game of Salah’s exile from the starting lineup.

The last two matches, though, have seen the Reds held to a 1-1 home draw by newly promoted Sunderland, before the draw at Leeds that led to Salah’s outburst.

What has Brighton’s form been in the Premier League this season?

Brighton’s solid season sees them sit two places above Liverpool on goal difference.

A win for either side could result in them climbing as high as fourth.

One league win in five to begin the season left the Seagulls sitting slightly perilously, but a run of only two defeats in 11 in the English top flight followed, with six wins in that time.

That form had expectations flying high on the south coast before two home games, but a 4-3 defeat by Aston Villa was followed by a 1-1 draw with West Ham in their last match.

We go again. pic.twitter.com/2tFFXx1Bh9

— Premier League (@premierleague) December 12, 2025

What happened the last time Liverpool played Brighton?

Brighton were 3-2 winners in a Premier League fixture on May 19, in the last encounter between the sides.

Liverpool twice took the lead in the first half of the game at Amex Stadium through Harvey Elliott and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Yasin Ayari’s 31st-minute goal kept the Seagulls in the game at the break before Kaoru Mitoma and Jack Hinshelwood, who netted five minutes from time, turned the game around in the second period.

What happened in the corresponding fixture between Liverpool and Brighton last season?

Liverpool were 2-1 winners in the preceding match at Anfield last season, but were forced to come from behind after Ferdi Kadioglu gave the away team the lead in the 14th minute.

The Seagulls held the lead until the 70th minute, when Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah scored twice in three minutes to set up the win.

Head-to-head

This is the 44th meeting between the sides, with Liverpool winning 23 of those encounters and Brighton emerging victorious on 8 occasions.

The fixture dates back to 1907 and an FA Cup tie at Anfield, where Brighton secured a 1-1 draw. Liverpool made no mistake in the reply, however, winning 3-0 on the south coast.

Brighton would have to wait a further six games for their first win against Liverpool, a 3-1 victory in the old second division of English football (now known as the Championship).

Liverpool team news

There is a question mark over Alexander Isak’s status for Saturday, with Slot saying the forward picked up a knock in the first half against Inter Milan, and that he will be evaluated on Friday before they decide whether or not he can start.

Slot is pleased with how Isak and Hugo Ekitike have played together, saying their partnership will continue to improve.

“The more they play together, the more they will adapt to each other and the better they will cooperate,” Slot said. “I saw promising things from the both of them, it’s only the second time they’ve played together. We will see more of them playing together in the future.”

Slot will have Federico Chiesa available on Saturday after he recovered from illness, while Wataru Endo and Cody Gakpo are expected to be out for a “few weeks”.

Brighton team news

Stefanos Tzimas, Solly March, Adam Webster are all absent with knee injuries, while James Milner is also out for several months with a muscle problem.

Kaoru Mitoma will have a fitness test as he attempts a comeback from an ankle problem which has kept him out since September.

Yasin Ayari and Tom Watson could both return from knocks, but both are still being monitored at this stage.

Predicted Liverpool starting lineup:

Alisson; Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Jones, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Isak, Wirtz

Predicted Brighton starting lineup:

Verbruggen; Wieffer, Dunk, van Hecke, Kadioglu; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Rutter, De Cuyper; Welbeck

Salah has the selfish streak and pride that is the preserve of all the greats – as was seen when then Manchester United manager Erik ten Haag, a Dutch countryman of Slot, dropped Cristiano Ronaldo at the end of his second spell at Old Trafford in November 2022.

Ronaldo’s response was to give an interview to Piers Morgan on TalkTV in which he complained, as Salah has effectively done now, that he was “betrayed by the club”.

Manchester United and Ronaldo agreed, within days, to cancel his contract.

Salah’s contract will not be cancelled.

Liverpool would, if they sold, demand a sizeable fee for a global figure who signed a new two-year contract in May, but such is the Egyptian’s strength of feeling, reconciliation looks difficult.

It remains to be seen whether Salah will even get the farewell he hinted at when Liverpool play Brighton on Saturday before he heads off to the Africa Cup of Nations.

So does the evidence support Salah’s assertion that “it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame” and that “someone doesn’t want me in the club”?

Salah has been a shadow of his old self this season. For the first time, someone who looked at the peak of his physical and footballing powers last season has started to look his age.

The contrast in numbers is stark and unflattering.

He was the inspiration as Liverpool won a 20th title last season, scoring 34 goals in 50 starts in all competitions. This term he has made 16 starts, scoring only five times.

Salah’s ability to do defensive dirty work was also called into question, with Chelsea‘s Marc Cucurella suggesting they targeted Liverpool‘s right flank in their 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge in October because he was “always ready to attack”.

Not a problem when Salah is providing a regular supply of goals, but brought into sharp relief when they dry up.

Salah, however, feels he is right to flag up he has hardly been Liverpool‘s only problem this season.

Salah’s relationship with Liverpool is strained, but the disgruntled star will be welcomed by Egypt teammates for AFCON, beginning December 21.

While the future of Mohamed Salah at Liverpool hangs in the balance, Egypt teammates have rallied behind the national team captain ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

The record seven-time continental champions are in Group B with Angola, South Africa and Zimbabwe, and will be based in the southern coastal city of Agadir throughout the first round.

“Players like him do not get benched,” said striker Ahmed “Kouka” Hassan on social media, referring to Salah being a substitute in the last three Liverpool fixtures, and coming on only once.

“If he starts on the bench, you must make sure he is the first to come on, after 60 minutes, 65 at the latest.

“Mo is not just a teammate, he is a leader, a legend for club and country. Keep working hard, brother, every situation in life is temporary, moments like this pass, what stays is your greatness.”

Head coach and former star Hossam Hassan posted a photograph of himself and Salah and a message: “Always a symbol of perseverance and strength.”

“The greatest Liverpool legend of all time,” wrote winger Ahmed “Zizo” El Sayed. Goalkeeper Mohamed Sobhy called Salah “always the best”.

Liverpool have struggled in their title defence this season and lie 10th after 15 rounds, 10 points behind leaders Arsenal. Salah has also battled with just four goals in 13 top-flight appearances.

After twice surrendering the lead in a 3-3 draw at Leeds United last Saturday, Salah told reporters, “It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus”.

“I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame (for the slump) … someone does not want me in the club.”

Salah was omitted from the squad that travelled to Milan for a Champions League clash with Inter on Tuesday and has hinted that he may not play for Liverpool again.

‘Great feeling’

Saudi Arabia says it will do “whatever it can” to recruit Salah during the mid-season transfer window, a Public Investment Fund (PIF) source in the kingdom told AFP.

Although Egypt last won the AFCON 15 years ago in Luanda, Salah, 33, believes they will lift the trophy again before he retires.

“It will happen – that is what I believe. It is a great feeling every time you step on the field wearing the Egyptian colours.”

Salah has suffered much heartbreak in four AFCON tournaments as Egypt twice finished runners-up and twice exited in the round of 16.

He created the goal that put the Pharaohs ahead in the 2017 final, but Cameroon clawed back to win 2-1 in Libreville.

Hosts and title favourites Egypt were stunned by South Africa in the first knockout round two years later, conceding a late goal to lose 1-0.

Egypt reached the final again in 2022, only to lose on penalties to Senegal after 120 goalless minutes in Yaounde.

In the Ivory Coast last year, Salah suffered a hamstring injury against Ghana and took no further part in the tournament. Egypt lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a last-16 clash.

This year, Egypt boast an array of attacking talent with Salah, Omar Marmoush from Manchester City, Mostafa Mohamed of Nantes and Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan and Zizo from Cairo giants Al Ahly.

Group B is the only one of the six in Morocco featuring two qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, with Egypt and South Africa heading to the global showpiece in North America.

South Africa exceeded expectations by finishing third at the 2024 AFCON, but Belgian coach Hugo Broos expects a tougher campaign in a tournament that kicks off on December 21.

“It will be harder because every opponent will be more motivated to beat us after our bronze medals,” said the tactician who guided Cameroon to the 2017 AFCON title.

Angola and Zimbabwe recently changed coaches, with France-born Patrice Beaumelle and Romanian Mario Marinica hired.

The Angolans have reached the quarterfinals three times, including last year, while the Zimbabweans have never gone beyond the first round.

The key now is for Liverpool to push on. After a disastrous run of nine defeats in 12, they are unbeaten in their last four and seemingly out of the toughest phase.

Inevitably, Slot was asked about Salah afterwards, with former Dutch international midfielder Clarence Seedorf suggesting to him players can “make mistakes”.

“Everyone makes mistakes in life but does the player know he’s made a mistake? Should the initiative come from him or me? That’s another question,” said Slot.

Van Dijk, meanwhile, would not be drawn on whether his team-mate had let the side down.

“There is no point me saying if someone has let someone down,” he said. “He didn’t travel based the consequences of what he said. That’s it.

“He trained yesterday perfectly normal. Let’s see when we come back on Friday and see what the situation will be like. My focus is on the team and at this point Mo is still part of the team. We will see what happens.”

But this was a night to praise those who played, particularly Szoboszlai, who has been directly involved in more goals than any other Liverpool player this season (10 – five goals, five assists).

“I have asked a lot of him,” Slot added. “I think what is also special is how much he runs – he is one of the few that played all four games in 10 days.

“It’s special what he is doing physically and also football wise, he stood up in a difficult moment.

“That was his first penalty for Liverpool during a game but he has a great shot and he delivered.”

Winning in Milan is no easy feat, considering Inter had been unbeaten in their last 18 Champions League ties at home

“It should be about what we’ve done over here,” added Slot. “I fully understand that on Friday, in the press conference, all the questions will be about Mo.

“Tonight it should be all about a team, against a team like this who are winning at a stadium like this. The focus should be on that.

“Tonight it should be all about the players that are here. In the rich history Liverpool has had, they have had many of these evenings.”

Proof, if it was ever needed, that with or without Salah, Liverpool will move on.

Saudi Arabia keen to bring Mohamed Salah to Saudi Pro League in January, Antoine Semenyo prefers Liverpool move but Arsenal and Manchester City also interested in Bournemouth forward.

Saudi Arabia is prepared to do “whatever it can” to bring Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohamed Salah, 33, to the Saudi Pro League in January. (Gulf News), external

Liverpool is the preferred destination for Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo, 25, when he leaves Bournemouth. (Team Talk), external

Semenyo is wary about joining Tottenham, with Arsenal and Manchester City also interested. (Sun), external

Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, 25, remains keen on a move to Liverpool but Barcelona have also shown an interest in the England international. (Team Talk), external

Aston Villa are exploring a deal for 19-year-old Brazilian forward Alysson, who playes for Gremio. (The Athletic – subscription required), external

Roma have opened negotiations to sign Manchester United and Netherlands forward Joshua Zirkzee, 24, in January. (Sky Sport Italia), external

Roma want to sign Zirkzee once they end the loan of Republic of Ireland striker Evan Ferguson from Brighton in January. (Gazetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Manchester United are interested in Austrian Elche centre-back David Affengruber, 24. (Team Talk), external

England midfielder Jack Grealish, 30, is loving life at Everton and wants to stay at the club to continue working under manager David Moyes. (Football Insider) , external

Despite a lack of first-team opportunities at Leicester, Maswanhise benefitted from being moulded by top-level coaching during his long spell at the club.

He played just once, an opportunity afforded to him by now Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca when he came on as a substitute in an FA Cup win over Millwall.

Pre-Maresca, Maswanhise credits part of his development to former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, who worked at Leicester between 2019 and 2023.

“Having the experience to work under them was really good,” the Motherwell man tells BBC Scotland. “I’d like to say I’ve learned quite a lot, adapting to two high-level managers.

“When I was with Brendan, it was more about getting used to the environment. Enzo needed a platform – he was really good tactically.”

But how do those two compare with his current boss?

Jens Berthel Askou has received plenty of plaudits for implementing a fearless and vibrant approach to a Motherwell side well worth their current standing of third.

“I’d say he is similar,” Maswanhise says when comparing Askou to Rodgers and Maresca. “The tactics and the system are really helping. It’s clearly paying off right now.

“We’re competing with the top teams in Scotland. If we can keep doing this, maybe we’ll see ourselves on a European tour next season.”

Egypt international Mohamed Salah is attracting interest from the Saudi Pro League amid doubt about Liverpool future.

Saudi Arabia says it will do “whatever it can” to recruit unsettled Liverpool star Mohamed Salah during the winter transfer window, a source at the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has revealed.

“We follow Salah’s position thoroughly and believe there can be a move either by loan or buying his contract,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity on Tuesday, referring to the standoff between the Egyptian and Liverpool.

“There is still no direct negotiations or talks with the club at the moment but there will be a move at the right moment.”

The PIF source said the wealthy Gulf monarchy wanted to sign the Egyptian winger in January, during the next transfer window, to join stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.

PIF holds a 75 percent share in Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad, but the source said it was not alone in wanting the Arab world’s biggest football star.

“There is a competition inside the Saudi league who will bring Salah,” the source said, adding that a club affiliated with Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil and gas company was also interested.

“Aramco’s Al Qadsiah has shown an interest, too. So it’s not only the PIF-affiliated clubs.”

Ronaldo plays for Al-Nassr, Salah’s former Liverpool teammate, Darwin Nunez, is at Al-Hillal, another former Premier League player of the season, N’Golo Kante, is at Al-Ittihad, but Salah is the biggest football star from an Arab country.

Salah said, after he was an unused substitute in the 3-3 draw with Leeds on Sunday, that he felt like he had been “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool and no longer had a relationship with manager Arne Slot.

The 33-year-old Egypt forward was then left out of Liverpool’s squad for their Champions League tie at Inter Milan on Tuesday.

Salah has played a key role in Liverpool’s two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph during his iconic spell on Merseyside. He signed a contract extension in April as he led Liverpool to the title.

Salah is set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations after next weekend’s home match against Brighton in the Premier League.

He hinted that the Brighton game could be his last with the Reds before leaving during the winter transfer window.

In 2024-25, Salah scored 29 goals and provided 18 assists last season, but he has been a shadow of his former self during Liverpool’s struggles this season — the title-holders are 10th in the table — with just four goals in 13 top-flight appearances.

“All players have their ups and downs. Salah is just 33 and has a lot to do here,” said the PIF source.

“Salah is a beloved footballer around the globe and will have a massive impact on the Saudi League both on and off the pitch.”

“I hope he continues at Liverpool and Arne Slot gets sacked.” Mohamed Salah fans at the Arab Cup told Al Jazeera’s Rylee Carlson he has done a lot for his club and shouldn’t be sidelined. Salah had said he felt disrespected after being benched in several games, prompting a backlash from Liverpool management.

Sport: Football Country: Egypt

Salah, the ‘Egyptian King’, scored 29 Premier League goals and broke a host of records as he helped Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th top-flight title in the 2024-25 season.

He became the first player to win the Golden Boot, the Playmaker award for most assists and the Premier League player of the season award in the same campaign. He was also named as the PFA men’s player of the year for a record third time and collected a third Football Writers’ footballer of the year award.

The 33-year-old became the highest-scoring overseas player in Premier League history, overtaking Sergio Aguero’s mark of 184.

Salah has scored five goals in 18 appearances for Liverpool so far this season, and on Saturday said he felt like he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club and that his relationship with head coach Arne Slot had broken down.

Almost 48 hours after Salah spoke, this was Arne Slot’s chance to say his piece.

Monday was a public holiday in Milan but the media conference room inside the San Siro was still packed. It is hard to think of a more anticipated pre-match media conference in recent times.

Slot used his humour to start off by joking with a reporter that he asked five questions in one, but minute by minute, details began to emerge and it was clear to see who was in charge.

When BBC Sport asked him whether he understood Salah’s comments when the Egyptian said he was “thrown under the bus”, Slot said: “Usually I’m calm, I’m polite but I’m not weak. If a player has these comments about so many things, then it’s up to me and the club to react. We reacted in a way you can see because he’s not here.”

This was Slot on the front foot and he was backed later by goalkeeper Alisson, who insisted that the Liverpool squad are firmly behind the manager who won the Premier League.

That backing from a senior player was crucial on a night where Slot was asked if he felt his authority was undermined by the whole saga.

Slot categorically denied he felt that way, even if he was surprised when he heard the quotes on Saturday night.

The Liverpool coach did not delve too much into the specifics, insisting that his conversation with Salah was short, but he said enough to explain the situation without inflaming it any further.

And, importantly, the door is still open for Salah even though Slot said he had “no clue” whether the 33-year-old has played his last game for the club.

The club insist this was mainly because of Salah bringing his own future into question. Their position is that Salah still has a contract and as Slot said, he is a “firm believer” in the possibility for a player to return.

After 10 minutes of questions solely focused on Salah, the Liverpool media officer, sat next to Slot, was adamant it was time to move on to questions about the game itself.

Ultimately though, regardless of how Liverpool fare tomorrow against Inter Milan, this is a story that will continue to dominate the agenda until there is a clear resolution.