Arne Slot gives awkward response on Mo Salah ‘last game’ question as Liverpool teammate sends ‘moaning’ warning

Arne Slot admitted he has ‘no clue’ whether Mohamed Salah will play for Liverpool again.

Slot fielded numerous questions on Salah’s recent controversy-causing comments, with the Egyptian claiming he has been ‘thrown under the bus’.

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He questioned why he had started on the bench for three games in a row, and revealed his relationship with his boss had broken down.

It was a bombshell interview and one that has thrown his future at Anfield into major doubt, with Salah being left out of Liverpool‘s squad for their Champions League game against Inter Milan tomorrow.

And now Slot has spoken out for the first time on the situation, answering questions from the media in his press conference.

The Dutchman was asked whether he thought, hand on heart, that Salah had played his last game as a Liverpool player.

Slot simply replied: “I have no clue.”

The Red boss was also questioned about whether he felt he was the person Salah was referring to who had thrown him under the bus.

He replied: “The only one who can answer that question is Mo himself. I can guess, but I don’t think that’s the right thing to do at this time.

“He’s not travelling with us, so that was the only communication there has been from us to him. Before Saturday, the two of us have spoken a lot, sometimes shorter, sometimes longer.

“That’s not the way I feel, but he has the right to feel how he feels things… I haven’t felt that at all until Saturday evening.

“When I didn’t play him anymore, usually players don’t like managers much, but he was respectful… he trained really hard.

What did Salah say?

“I’m very disappointed, I’ve done so much for this club. Everyone has seen it in recent years, especially last season.

“I don’t know why I’m sitting on the bench. It feels like the club is throwing me under the bus, that’s how I feel. I think it’s very clear that someone will blame me.

“The club promised me a lot in the summer, but I’ve been on the bench for three games. I can’t say they’ve kept their promises.

“I have said many times that I have a good relationship with the manager, but suddenly we don’t have a relationship anymore. I don’t know why.

“It seems to me someone doesn’t want me in the club. It’s not acceptable for me. I don’t know why that happened always to me, I don’t get it. I think if was somewhere else the club will protect its player.

“I don’t know why I’m in that situation now but again it’s how I see it, it’s like you throw him under the bus because he’s a problem in the team now but I don’t think I’m the problem.

“I have done so much for this club to get the respect I want to get and I don’t have to go every day fighting for my position because I earn it.

“People will say you are not bigger than I’m not bigger than anyone. I’m just earn I earn my position. This is football.

“I don’t believe it. I’ve been in this club scoring more than anyone in this generation. I would say since I came to the Premier League, I don’t think anybody scored more goals than me or assist in the whole Premier League.

“And if I’m in somewhere else, the everybody will go to the media and defend the players. I’m the only one is not in that situation.

“I remembered a while ago Harry Kane was not scoring for I think 10 games and scored one two goals. Everyone in the media, everybody in the media was like, ‘Oh, Harry will score for sure.’ When it comes to Mo, he needs to be on the bench.

“I had a meeting with the manager. He knows my feeling. I thought I’m going to renew here and end my career here, but this is not according to the plan.”

“To an extent, it was a surprise, the comments he made.

“It’s not the first or the last time that when a player doesn’t play, they say something similar to what he did.

“I think my reaction to that is also clear and that is he’s not here tonight.”

What else did Slot say?

Slot went on to answer further questions on Salah and his situation, explaining his thoughts in some more detail.

He said: “I don’t feel my authority has been undermined. It’s not about me, it’s about it being more difficult for the team and the club.

“Nobody likes being in this situation. It’s difficult to see staff members who work hard on a daily basis being affected by it, mainly the results.”

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On the ‘thrown under the bus’ statement specifically, Slot continued: “I’d have to know what he meant by that.

“Usually, I am calm and polite, but it doesn’t mean I’m weak. When a player says things like that we have to react as a club. And you can see he is not here.

“He has every right to feel what he feels, but if he has the right to share it with the media then we have to react with it.”

“I think we’re sitting here on an evening before a big game, a big fixture for us, there were only 36 hours since we conceded against Leeds and now,” Slot went on to add.

“I’ve been trying to prepare my team for tomorrow evening. In the meantime, we’ve decided not to take him with us to this game.

“I’m a strong believer that there is always a chance for players to return.”

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Alisson’s take

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson was alongside Slot in the press conference and he was asked about the situation too.

He said: “It’s not an easy situation. As a group, we take as best as we can take. We have a personal relationship with him, I’ve been playing with Mo since I came to Europe, one year at Roma and seven years at Liverpool.

“He’s a great guy, great character, he’s a legend for Liverpool FC. We achieved so many things together and of course, personally, it’s not something that makes me happy.

“But we have in football not too much time to stay moaning about any situation. We have a big challenge tomorrow a big team to play against.

“Inter has been doing so well this season, so my focus and the focus of the team is on the challenge we are going to face tomorrow.”

Alisson added: “Him not being available is a consequence of what he did. He’s smart enough to know that.

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“I haven’t spoken to Mo about it how I want to talk. We have a good relationship, it’s not just a team-mate, we spend so much time together. We are good friends.

“You share so many moments together, happy moments, sad moments, that creates a bond between people.

“I will have a conversation, but it’s going to be private because it’s personal.

“I hope he plays again for the club, but that’s a personal situation between Mo and the club.

“We as his teammates and his friends we hope the best thing happens for him, but as Liverpool FC players we want the best for the club. We want a win-win for him and the club.”