Arne Slot said there was “no issue to resolve” after bringing Mohamed Salah on as a substitute in Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Brighton on Saturday — a week after the forward’s explosive comments about the club.
Hugo Ekitike scored at Anfield after 46 seconds and Salah, introduced in the 26th minute, set up the Frenchman for a second goal with half an hour to go.
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.
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He also said that he had no relationship with Liverpool manager Slot when he spoke to reporters after the match at Elland Road.
He was omitted from the midweek Champions League trip to Inter Milan, which Liverpool won 1-0, and he was the subject of intense scrutiny in the build-up to Saturday’s game at Anfield.
Slot said at Friday’s pre-match press conference that he would speak to the forward later in the day, adding: “I have no reasons (for) not wanting him to stay.” Speaking after the win against Brighton, Slot said that there was “no issue to resolve” with Salah, whose corner was headed home by Ekitike in the 60th minute.
“For me he’s now the same as any other player,” he said. “You talk to your players if you’re happy or unhappy with things, but there’s nothing for me to talk about after what happened against Leeds, after the game.” Slot confirmed that Salah was left out of the squad for the fixture in Italy due to his interview.
“Every manager makes different decisions… but he wasn’t involved in the game against (Inter) Milan and I spoke to him yesterday,” he said.
– Actions louder than words –
“I think, as I usually never say anything about (what) we talk about, I’m not going to make an exception now, but I think actions speak louder than what has been said.
“He was in the squad again and when I had to make my first substitutions, I brought him in. And he performed as I think every fan, including me, would like him to perform today.”
Salah now has 277 goal involvements for Liverpool in the Premier League — 188 goals and 89 assists — a new record by a player for a single club in the competition, overtaking Wayne Rooney’s mark for Manchester United.
A smiling Salah was asked by reporters for a comment after the match but turned them down.
“Oh God, two weeks in a row? No,” he said.
Salah, 33, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April, will now 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 on January 18.
The forward, who has been linked with a move to the wealthy Saudi Pro League, had invited his family to the Brighton game as speculation swirled over his future.
Slot laughed off a question about whether the match could have been Salah’s last for the club.
“He wasn’t the only player who walked around the pitch thanking the fans, because the fans deserved a thank you from us,” he said.
The Dutchman added: “Mo is going to go to the AFCON now, I hope he’s going to do very well, and in the meantime we have to play here without him, with not that many players available at the moment.”
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 to win the Premier League Golden Boot last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title, but has managed just four league goals during the current campaign.
Saturday’s victory for Liverpool was their first at Anfield since November 4 and lifts Slot’s men to sixth in the table, easing the pressure on the beleaguered coach.
FIFA called out over World Cup prices | 00:59
– ‘He’s back’ –
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca insisted his side were a better team for having Cole Palmer back after the forward scored on his first Stamford Bridge start in almost four months as the Blues beat Everton 2-0 to move back into the Premier League’s top four.
“We said many times with Cole (Palmer) we are a better team,” Maresca told the BBC.
“Unfortunately he was out for many games for us, but now he’s back and for sure he will help us.” The injury-plagued attacking midfielder missed Chelsea’s loss away to Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday as part of his recovery from a two-month spell on the sidelines.
Palmer was initially troubled by a groin problem and then fractured his toe after stubbing it on a door at home.
The 23-year-old made his first start for the Blues since September in last weekend’s goalless draw at Bournemouth.
The England international broke the deadlock against Everton in the 21st minute at Stamford Bridge.
Malo Gusto played in Palmer with a fine pass and he beat fellow England international Jordan Pickford at the goalkeeper’s near post.
Everton dominated possession, with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez saving well from Jack Grealish.
All of Everton’s pressure failed to yield an equaliser and Chelsea, against the run of play, doubled their lead in first half stoppage-time when a counter-attack ended with Gusto turning in a cut-back from Pedro Neto.
Everton, eighth in the table despite this loss, had a chance to make it 2-1 when Carlos Alcaraz curled in a cross to the back post only for the unmarked Grealish to divert the ball well wide.
Chelsea almost added a third when Reece James’s quick free-kick was only just tipped over the bar by Pickford.
Everton nearly gave themselves a lifeline when Iliman Ndiaye burst into the box only for his shot to bounce off the inside of the post.
“The game is never finished,” said Maresca. “We had many chances, we missed. But overall I’m happy with the clean sheet and the performance.”
Elsewhere, Fulham defeated Burnley 3-2 at Turf Moor courtesy of goals from Emile Smith Rowe, Calvin Bassey and Harry Wilson, while league leaders Arsenal were locked at 0-0 with bottom placed Wolves at half time at the Emirates.
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