Arne Slot has launched a staunch defence of Mo Salah after the Egyptian’s exclusion from Liverpool’s starting XI in Frankfurt this week raised questions about the striker’s role in the team, writes Sam Hackett at the AXA Training Centre.
Salah has only netted three times so far this campaign, three less than he’d managed at this stage last season.
His poor form has caused concern among fans and a change of Instagram profile picture for the Liverpool star following Wednesday’s 5-1 Champions League win added further fuel to the fire.
Salah was brought off the bench late on Wednesday night but was again off target. However, Slot was quick to defend last season’s top scorer.
He said: “In general in football players miss chances and Mo is a human being as well. We are not used to him missing chances let alone for a few games in a row but these things can happen.
“I think the main thing is that Mo has always scored goals for this club and the last thing I worry about is Mo starting to score goals again. That’s what he’s done his whole life and that’s what I expect him to do in the upcoming weeks and months for our club.”
It wasn’t just the front-line that Slot rotated in midweek with Curtis Jones being the beneficiary of midfield changes that saw him run the show in Frankfurt.
The midfielder completed 122 passes in the match, the most ever by a Liverpool player in a Champions League game since Opta records began, impressing the Liverpool boss:
He said: “Curtis since I’ve been here, I think his playing time went up and there’s a reason for that. I like how he’s progressed. But still with him he’s in competition with five to six very good midfielders but it’s good to see that he played a very good game against Frankfurt.”
Jones could be called on again this weekend with Slot uncertain on the fitness of Ryan Gravenberch who went off injured in his side’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.
Following that defeat the Liverpool manager came under scrutiny for his comments about United’s long ball approach. The Dutchman reaffirmed this today but added how his thoughts should be seen as a compliment to United manager Ruben Amorim.
He said: “The main difference between this season and last season is the playing styles we faced. So when we had a few days off I looked at how many long balls we’ve already had to defend, 178 in seven games and then United came and we had to defend 59 long balls. That’s different to the first half of last season.
“So this is what I tried to explain and when I tried to explain it in the media, after the game, it was actually more of a compliment for the other manager that he found the right answer to our playing style. But I think if I am correct that wasn’t how people looked at it.”
Slot will be expecting a similar approach from Brentford this Saturday but may have to deal with further absentees. The Dutchman grouped Alexander Isak with Gravenberch as uncertainties, with Jeremie Frimpong and Alisson Becker longer-term issues.
He said: “Jeremie is not in a good place. It’s a hamstring injury so that’s going to take a while. Alex, not too bad, a question mark for the weekend. That’s the same with Ryan, he didn’t travel with us so today we are in again so let’s see where he is. Alisson is not in the squad tomorrow and that’s also going to take a little bit longer.”
