Mohamed Salah returned to the Liverpool team in their 2-0 win against Brighton and made sure to soak up the love at Anfield before heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt.
Mohamed Salah took a moment to bask in the affection of Anfield before jetting off to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt.
The 33-year-old made his comeback to Arne Slot’s Liverpool squad during their 2-0 victory over Brighton on Saturday, stepping in for the injured Joe Gomez in the 26th minute. The winger put on an impressive display, providing the assist for Hugo Ekitike’s second goal and surpassing Wayne Rooney’s record for the most single-club goal involvements in the Premier League with 277 (188 goals and 89 assists).
Salah’s future at Liverpool has been cast into doubt after he claimed the club has tried to make him the fall guy for their struggles this season and stated he has no relationship with Slot. While his return to the matchday squad is a positive sign, it remains uncertain whether he will still be a Liverpool player when he returns from international duty next month. Here’s all the latest news from Anfield.
Mo Salah message
Following his remarks after the 3-3 draw against Leeds United, the Egyptian has received significant public backing from his team-mates.
Such a shocking revelation from one of the world’s top players could have had a lasting impact on the Reds squad, but they’ve rebounded in the best possible way.
Following a 1-0 away triumph over Inter Milan and a home victory against Brighton, Salah’s performance after being brought on in the first half of the latter was noteworthy.
However, with his upcoming absence due to AFCON, Curtis Jones clarified post-Brighton win that Salah’s remarks were personal and not directed at any team-mates, reports the Mirror.
In an interview with Viaplay, Jones said: “We all love Mo. I love Mo. At my hardest times at the club, you know, he was always one of the ones who was there. I could always speak to [him]. And it’s exactly the same now.
“Mo’s his own man, he’s got his own opinions. And, you know, I don’t think his intentions were to affect the team or anything like that. It was just a personal thing. And as everybody knows, the team, the fans, the staff, we all love Mo. He’s a great guy.
“I don’t really like to speak on another man’s issues or his business and stuff – that has to do with Mo. But at the end of the day, I think the important thing that Mo made clear was that it’s not against the team or anything like that, just a personal issue, and that’s it.”
Van Dijk confession
Van Dijk left no room for doubt about his views on Salah’s future at Anfield, with the Dutchman confessing he wants the winger to stay put.
The Reds’ captain revealed post-Saturday’s win that he has been in regular dialogue with his long-standing team-mate over the past week.
The 34-year-old shared: “I speak to him about everything. I told him I want him to stay. I would love to have him around as he is one of the leaders, but the fact is he is going to AFCON. We will be in contact over the next days and weeks like we always are and let’s see.
“I wish him absolutely all the best – and [to] come back. Hopefully. I have no control over that. We hope he will be absolutely successful there and we all hope he will be coming back to be important for the rest of the season.
“But, on the other side of it, we all know football and have no idea what is going to happen. He is very important – and still [is] as you see with another assist – to the football club, but there are more parties to this situation.”