Liverpool manager Arne Slot recently addressed Mohamed Salah's comments following the Reds' hard-fought victory over Manchester City. The Egyptian forward had mentioned that the match might be his last Premier League encounter with Pep Guardiola's side at Anfield, sparking questions about his contract situation and future at the club. In response, Slot was asked to comment on the situation, particularly Salah’s remarks. Slot, known for his candidness and humor, jokingly referred to Manchester City's ongoing legal battles surrounding 115 charges and suggested that Salah might know more about whether City would even be in the Premier League next season.
Slot made light of the situation, saying, "Maybe Mo knows more about the 115 accusations for (Man City) not to be in the Premier League next season, and I do expect them in the Premier League next season." He quickly added that the conversation about Salah's contract was not the right moment, emphasizing that it was inappropriate to discuss such matters during a post-match interview. Slot continued to play down the significance of the comment, saying, “The boring answer is always the same. This is not the place for me to talk about Salah's contract, and maybe already, I’ve said too much about the joke I just made. That will probably get the headlines. It was a joke. I repeat, it was a joke.” This light-hearted approach from Slot, while downplaying any speculation, served to deflect attention from the serious questions surrounding Salah's contract status.
While Slot made his stance clear on Salah’s situation, he also touched on the ongoing recovery of goalkeeper Alisson, who has been sidelined for several games. The Brazilian goalkeeper has missed crucial fixtures, and in his absence, Caoimhin Kelleher has stepped in and delivered solid performances. Slot confirmed that there was no rush to bring Alisson back into action. “We are just waiting for Alisson to be completely fit because Caoimhin is doing too well to put Alisson on goal if he’s only 50%,” Slot explained. He reassured the press that while the goalkeeper was progressing in his recovery, it was important for Alisson to regain full fitness before being thrown back into the starting lineup.
The Liverpool boss continued, noting that Alisson’s return should be imminent, with Slot stating that the goalkeeper would be back in action before the end of December, assuming his recovery proceeds without any setbacks. “That would not be good for Alisson and it would not be good for the team,” Slot added, underscoring the importance of fully rehabilitating the player. “Like I’ve always said, the end phase of a rehab is always the period where you feel like ‘okay, is he really there or does he need extra days?’ But he will be in goal before the end of December if things continue like they are now.”
As for the team’s upcoming fixtures, Liverpool will face Newcastle United on December 4, and Slot remains confident that his squad, including Kelleher in goal for the time being, will continue their strong form. With a significant number of matches on the horizon, including several high-stakes games in both domestic and international competitions, Slot’s decisions on player fitness and tactical adjustments will be crucial. While Alisson's return is eagerly awaited, the Liverpool manager's confidence in his squad depth, including Kelleher’s performances, provides the team with much-needed stability during this period.
Liverpool’s upcoming match against Newcastle will present another challenge as the Reds continue their pursuit of domestic and European success. Slot’s comments regarding Alisson's recovery and Salah's playful remarks have certainly given fans plenty to think about as the holiday period of fixtures approaches.
