Mo Salah’s reaction to Liverpool benching tells you everything about star as Slot names AFCON exit date | OneFootball

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has revealed that Mo Salah was far from happy at being left out of the Reds’ side that beat West Ham on Sunday, while six pundits have given their take on the Egyptian’s axing and what happens next.

Salah’s 250 goals in Liverpool colours ensure his place among legends. Now the club’s all-time third top scorer of all time, the Reds landed themselves one of the bargains of the century when paying Roma £36.9m for the player back in summer 2017.

Now into his ninth season at Anfield, there have been signs this season that Salah’s powers are on the decline and he is no longer as effective as he once was.

Following a four-game goalscoring drought and amid criticisms of his work-rate, Salah was dropped to the Liverpool bench for Sunday’s must-win match at West Ham; a game a much-relieved Arne Slot saw his side win 2-0.

That was the first time Salah had been left out of a Premier League game by Liverpool in 18 months, leading to claims that it is the beginning of the end for the 33-year-old as a Reds regular.

Now, Slot has addressed how Salah took the news in a press conference to preview Wednesday’s game against Sunderland.

However, rather than sulk about his bench role, Slot has warmly praised Salah and says he was fully supportive of his teammates in actions that show fans all they need to know about his character and dampen claims of a possible falling out.

“It’s a fair assumption (that he wasn’t happy to be left out),” Slot said. “And it’s a normal reaction from a player who is good enough to play for us.

“And I say that mildly because he has been so outstanding for this club for so many years and will be for us in the future. So yeah, of course, a player isn’t happy not playing.

“He wasn’t the only one who wasn’t happy that he wasn’t starting, I can tell you. And that’s normal. But the way he behaved was as you would expect from the professional he is.

“He was very supportive for his teammates. Handled himself really well during the day and yesterday in the session as well. You cannot be a player that is available every three days and plays to those high standards if you go with your emotions.

“But for Mo, he is so disciplined and knows what to do to stay fit. No matter if he plays well, doesn’t play well, if he plays or if he doesn’t play, he will always be that top professional. And that’s what he was the last two days.”

Slot reveals when Salah will depart for AFCON

Slot, meanwhile, has revealed that Salah will depart for the African Cup of Nations on Tuesday December 15.

If his country, Egypt, go all the way, Salah will be absent until Sunday January 18 at least, with the tournament due to kick off on Sunday 21 December.

That means he could miss as many as five Liverpool games, with his last game for the Reds before his departure coming against Brighton on Saturday December 12.

“Yeah, yeah, we have (been told a date to release him),” he said. “I think FIFA does this, I don’t know exactly. But it’s December 15.

“But as always in these situations, there is a player involved, there is the nation involved – Egypt in this situation – and the club. And there is always talks about what is best for all three of us.

“I think the way we’ve worked at this club is that there is always a communication between all three. The player, the club and the country, so that is nothing new. That is always the same. When they come back, when they go. FIFA did this and said the 15th is the last day they have to be released.”

What are six pundits saying about Salah’s Liverpool benching?

Alan Shearer was one of the first to react to Salah dropping to the bench, praising the manager for not being afraid to make a “big call” and arguing that the decision was justified off the back of some below-par performances from the 33-year-old.

TNT Sport pundit Peter Crouch argued the decision was vindicated, saying it was a necessary decision to fix Liverpool’s “deep-rooted” problems.

The former Reds striker is adamant that no individual should be considered bigger than the club and that his sub-par performances had merited Slot’s decision.

Those comments followed Wayne Rooney’s claims, after the England legend suggested Slot had to make the brave call to axe Salah to save his own skin, with the Dutchman’s job on the line following a barren run.

Jamie Carragher, meanwhile, agreed, feeling Salah’s drop in standards meant his place on the bench was needed by Liverpool if they were to turn the corner, labelling the 4-1 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven as the final straw.

Carragher had previously criticised the Egyptian for failing to address the media during the club’s wretched form.

Phil Jagielka, meanwhile, felt Salah could consider himself unlucky, arguing it was an easier decision to drop Salah than a key defensive player like Virgil van Dijk and also noting that the winger’s historically “ridiculous” numbers meant he would return to form sooner rather than later, despite acknowledging a tendency to “go missing at times.”

And finally, John Aldridge insists Slot made the right call, but is adamant that Salah is not finished yet as a top-tier player, while also revealing he did not want him reinstated to the starting line-up any time soon.

Meanwhile, hugely ambitious reports in the Spanish press claim Liverpool have made contact with Jude Bellingham’s representative in order to convince the midfielder to move to Anfield, after the England star came under fierce criticism in the Real Madrid press and with Xabi Alonso told to ‘get rid’.

Elsewhere, sources have revealed Liverpool remain at the front of the queue to sign Antoine Semenyo, but must fight off a potential Manchester City hijack and with the Bournemouth star eager to hear what Pep Guardiola’s side has to say.

Finally, Fabrizio Romano has revealed whether there is any truth to rumours that Liverpool have made contact with Jurgen Klopp over an Anfield return as a potential replacement for the under-pressure Slot.