Liverpool manager Arne Slot has made it clear that the club has put the Mohamed Salah situation firmly behind them.
The spotlight now is entirely on team performance, not past tensions.
The drama began a couple of weeks ago when Salah publicly expressed frustrations after the Leeds match, claiming he had no rapport with Slot and that the club had “thrown him under the bus.”
The comments sparked rumors of a potentially messy exit and led to Salah being left out of the squad temporarily.
However, the Egyptian star returned last weekend for Liverpool’s victory over Brighton, even providing an assist.
Slot emphasized on Friday morning that actions are more important than words, highlighting that Salah’s reintegration into the squad speaks volumes.
Salah’s Focus on Africa Cup of Nations
With Salah now representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, Slot stressed that all attention should be on the striker’s performances for his country.
“He is playing big games for himself and for Egypt,” Slot said.
“It’s only fair that our focus over here doesn’t become a distraction for him.”
Slot also underlined that the team has moved on from the fallout after the Leeds interview.
“He played against Brighton, and that’s in the past.
Our attention now is on preparing for Tottenham this Saturday,” he added.
Injury Updates and Squad News
During his Friday briefing, Slot shared several key updates about the squad.
Jeremie Frimpong is back in contention for the Tottenham game, confirming earlier reports from Daily Mail Sport.
On the other hand, Joe Gomez will miss out due to a hamstring injury.
Dominik Szoboszlai has returned to training after a minor ankle issue, while Cody Gakpo’s injury is reportedly less severe than initially feared.
Gakpo should be back sooner than expected, though he will likely miss the next two fixtures against Spurs and Wolves.
Hugo Ekitike Impressing in Attack
Slot also praised new striker Hugo Ekitike, who has netted four goals in his last two league appearances.
The manager insisted the Frenchman’s impact hasn’t come as a surprise.
“We knew the type of player we signed,” Slot said, noting that Ekitike had to leave the Brighton game early due to cramp but still covered nearly twice the distance compared to three months ago.
Slot highlighted that Ekitike’s growth isn’t just in scoring goals.
“His defensive work has improved, which is huge for a No.9.
I probably talk more to him about defending than attacking, which he didn’t mind at first but now sometimes jokingly asks about offensive play too,” he explained.
Preparing for Tottenham
With the Salah saga behind them and key players returning from injury, Liverpool is turning full attention to their upcoming clash with Tottenham.
Slot’s focus remains on building momentum and maintaining squad harmony, leaving off-field distractions squarely in the past.
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