Mohamed Salah in Liverpool squad for Brighton after Arne Slot talks: Reports
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Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus”, after three matches in a row in which he did not start.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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- Arne Slot will meet with Mohamed Salah after Salah criticised Liverpool and Slot, sparking speculation about Salah's future at the club, currently 10th in the league.
- Slot stated he wants Salah to stay and the decision for Salah to miss the Inter Milan game was his. "I have no reasons to not want him to stay," Slot said.
- Alexander Isak's fitness is in doubt, but Chiesa is available. Endo and Gakpo are out for "a few weeks", but Slot is pleased with the Isak-Ekitike partnership.
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LONDON - Mohamed Salah has been included in Liverpool’s squad for their Premier League match at home to Brighton on Dec 13 following talks with manager Arne Slot, according to several British media reports.
Both the BBC and Sky said the decision was made with Slot, who had made it clear he would have the final say on whether to recall Salah, wanting to act in the best interests of the club.
The Dutchman had previously said he would speak to Salah on the morning of Dec 12, following the Egypt striker’s outburst last weekend that raised doubts about his Anfield future and saw him omitted from the squad that travelled to Italy for a Champions League win over Inter Milan in midweek.
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 did not start.
He also said he had no relationship with Slot when he spoke to reporters after the match at Elland Road.
On Dec 9, Liverpool won 1-0 at Inter Milan, while the 33-year-old Salah posted a picture on social media of himself alone in a gym at the club’s training ground.
“I will have a conversation with Mo this morning – the outcome of that conversation determines how things will look tomorrow,” Slot told his pre-match press conference.
“I think the next time I speak about Mo should be with him and not in here. You can keep on trying but there is not much more to say about it.
“After the Sunderland game (a 1-1 draw on Dec 3 in which Salah came on as a second-half substitute) there were a lot of conversations between his representatives and ours, between him and me.”
Slot batted away further questions from reporters about the forward, but said: “I have no reasons not wanting him to stay, and that is a little bit of an answer to your question.”
Salah, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April which made him one of the highest paid players in the Premier League, is due to join the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations after the Dec 13 Brighton game at Anfield.
The length of his absence depends on how far Egypt go in the competition in Morocco, with the final taking place on Jan 18.
Salah, third in Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts with 250 goals in 420 appearances, has won two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph 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 in 13 appearances this season.
Liverpool are 10th in the table after a shocking run, with two wins in their past 10 Premier League games.
Salah has been linked with a move to the lucrative Saudi Pro League. AFP
