Arne Slot Manager
Liverpool’s star forward Mohamed Salah found himself on the bench during the Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt, where the Reds secured an emphatic 5-1 victory. Despite coming on as a substitute, Salah missed several scoring opportunities, extending his goal drought to six games. His frustration was evident as he quickly headed down the tunnel post-match, reminiscent of a similar reaction during a substitute appearance against West Ham United 18 months ago.
Liverpool boss said: “I hope he is not ever going to take it well, because the moment you are going to take it well then you miss the fire. That goes for every player, by the way. Not only Mo. The moment you start to accept that you are not playing anymore and you are fine with that, then you miss the fire that is needed to play at this level.”
Slot added: “My experience in general is that it’s quite hard for a player to understand why he’s not playing. They all see football through their eyes, and again that’s a good thing. If you go over to all 20 players now to name a line-up, I’d be surprised if there’s one player who doesn’t put himself in. That’s not to say that they don’t understand we have more than a few good players here and once in a while somebody isn’t playing. But if we have to play a Champions League final tomorrow and you ask them to make a line-up, I’d be surprised if one of them doesn’t put themselves in – except maybe youngsters Rio (Ngumoha) or Trey (Nyoni).”
Slot further explained: “The way he trains, and when we do finishing drills, you cannot lose that. The only thing is we have to keep bringing him in to those positions and he has to bring himself into those positions. There are a lot of things that can happen when you get older. But if I can select one player who has the ball 12, 13 yards from goal and he should score that to save my reputation, I would have Mo in that position.”
Despite Salah’s current struggles, Slot remains confident that the forward will soon rediscover the form that has seen him score 248 goals in 413 appearances for Liverpool. The manager emphasized the importance of maintaining the “fire” necessary to compete at the highest level, a sentiment that extends to all players on the team.
Liverpool’s squad is currently dealing with several injuries, including Jeremie Frimpong, who suffered a hamstring injury and is expected to be out for several weeks. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker and teenage centre-back Giovanni Leoni are also sidelined. Meanwhile, Ryan Gravenberch’s participation remains uncertain due to an ankle issue. As the Reds prepare for their third of seven crucial games in 22 days, Slot is likely to rotate his squad, with players like Alexis Mac Allister, Milos Kerkez, and Conor Bradley pushing for starting roles alongside Salah.
About The Author
