Liverpool manager Arne Slot has expressed his happiness over Mohamed Salah’s return to the squad as the Reds prepare to face Marseille on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League.
Salah had been absent from Liverpool action in recent weeks after travelling to Morocco with the Egyptian national team to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations. His return comes after a turbulent period marked by reported tensions between the Egyptian star and his manager.
The situation escalated earlier this season when Salah was benched for three consecutive matches, a decision that was followed by strong public comments from the forward. Those remarks ultimately led to his exclusion from Liverpool’s Champions League fixture against Inter Milan.
Salah made his return to action as a substitute in Liverpool’s Premier League encounter against Brighton, where he played a key role in the 2-0 victory by creating a goal.
He then departed for Egypt amid widespread uncertainty surrounding his future at the club.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Slot played down the situation.
“It’s normal as it always has been. I didn’t include him against Inter, but he was present in all the matches. He came in the Brighton game and we won 2-0, so he left in a good position for him,” he said.
The Liverpool boss also acknowledged Salah’s contribution at the Africa Cup of Nations.
“He scored goals in the Africa Cup of Nations, but he reached the semi-finals, and now he’s back with us. I spoke with him today, and I’m happy he’s back. As I said, I have only ever played more than 100 minutes in the Premier League with two wingers, Salah and Coady. We have others like Wirtz and Frimpong, but if you asked them about their preferred position, they wouldn’t say winger,” he added.
Slot concluded by reiterating his satisfaction with the Egyptian forward’s comeback.
“I am happy with Mohamed Salah’s return. In his absence, I think we performed well in terms of scoring opportunities, which contributed to increasing our attacking chances. So it is beneficial to have a player like him, capable of scoring goals,” Slot noted.
