Salah needed back on the pitch, says Slot after dropping him for Liverpool’s 2-0 victory against West Ham on Sunday.
Slot uneasy over dropping Salah for Liverpool and wants him back on pitch.
After Mohamed Salah’s eight outstanding seasons at Liverpool, Arne Slot said that he was uncomfortable with the striker’s departure. He stated that he would prefer that Salah “do something special” on the pitch rather than sit miserably on the bench.
Omitting Salah was Slot’s major call at West Ham on Sunday when the Liverpool head coach found a remedy to the Premier League champions’ terrible run of defeats. The Egypt international, who is scheduled to leave for the Africa Cup of Nations on 15 December, has found it difficult to attain his normal heights this season and remains uncertain to return against Sunderland at Anfield on Wednesday.
“It is not a nice thing for him, not for a Liverpool fan and not for me,” Slot said. “A player that has been so important for us, you want to see him on the pitch. I prefer to see Mo on the pitch, scoring his goals and doing something special rather than the camera being on him when he isn’t in the game. He has been so important for us, for so many years, and he will be important for us in the coming days – because it is days as he goes to the Africa Cup of Nations.”
Slot said Salah was not happy about being dropped but had been supportive of his teammates on Sunday and in training on Monday. “The reaction of every player in this group, no matter whether he’s playing or not playing, is to bring the best out of yourself every single day you are in this building and when we are playing,” he said. “That’s exactly the attitude he showed on Sunday and yesterday as well.”
Dominik Szoboszlai took Salah’s role at West Ham but Slot, who has been rumoured with a January transfer for Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, confirmed the Hungary skipper was not a definitive substitute for Salah.
“I don’t see Dominik as a right-winger for the long-term future in this club. Dominik is a midfielder who could help us out as a full-back or as a winger if needed. I don’t expect to be in February or March and every single game Dominik is playing there. But I don’t know yet at this moment.
“He’s more of a midfielder than a winger, but the good thing about him is he can help me and us out in several positions if I need him in that position. In the long-term future we should have wingers playing as wingers, midfielders playing as midfielders and defenders playing as defenders.”