PREVIEW: Liverpool visit Inter Milan as pressure grows amid Salah controversy | OneFootball

Liverpool’s season has collapsed at alarming speed. The reigning Premier League champions have seen their form fall off a cliff, senior players have publicly questioned the manager’s decisions, and the club is now scrambling to recover something from what has become a catastrophic campaign.

Back in May, when Liverpool cruised to the Premier League title, Arne Slot’s maiden season appeared to be unfolding perfectly. The Reds had delivered just their second league trophy of the Premier League era, and optimism flowed freely around Anfield.

Fast forward to December, and the outlook could hardly be more different. Liverpool sit ninth in the table—below newly promoted Sunderland – and find themselves 13th in the Champions League standings following a humbling home defeat to PSV.

The situation worsened further after a volatile interview from star forward Mo Salah, who was left unused during the 3–3 draw at Elland Road.

Minutes after Leeds snatched a 96th-minute equaliser, Salah accused the club of “throwing him under the bus” and cast doubt over his immediate future.

Liverpool have won just two of their last nine matches in all competitions – and only three of their last 12 – heaping immense pressure on Slot to reverse the slide.

The Dutchman retains backing from the Liverpool hierarchy, but with tensions high and dressing-room dynamics strained, there is a growing belief that Salah may have played his final game for the club.

Awaiting the wounded Reds are last season’s finalists and Italian heavyweights Inter Milan. Simone Inzaghi’s side suffered their first Champions League defeat of the campaign against Atlético Madrid last time out, but they remain firmly among the competition’s contenders.

Inter sit level on points with Real Madrid and PSG, and just three behind perfect leaders Arsenal. Domestically, they have been even more impressive, winning their last three league games by an aggregate score of 11–1, placing them one point behind Serie A leaders Napoli with a far superior goal difference.

Liverpool face another daunting statistic: Inter have won 10 of their last 11 Champions League matches at San Siro, a fortress in what is set to be its final season as their home ground.

Squad-wise, Connor Bradley returned from injury against Leeds, leaving only Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni sidelined -though Salah is now likely to miss out due to his post-match comments.

Inter, meanwhile, could receive a significant boost with Denzel Dumfries nearing a return, particularly important with Matteo Darmian still unavailable. Upfront, Lautaro Martínez enters the match in exceptional form, having scored in each of his last five Champions League appearances, and is expected to start alongside Marcus Thuram.

Predicted Line-Ups

INT: Sommer; Akanji, Bisseck, Bastoni; Augusto, Zielinski, Barella, Calhanoglu, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez