Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he is “not weak” and denies the situation with Mohamed Salah has undermined his authority.
The 33-year-old winger has been left out of the squad to face Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday after giving an explosive interview two days ago, claiming he was “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool and his relationship with Slot had broken down.
Slot says he does not feel that way and was “surprised” by Salah’s comments.
Speaking in Milan on Monday night, Slot added he had “no clue” if Salah, who signed a new two-year contract in April, had played his last game for Liverpool, but added he was a “firm believer that there is always a possibility to return for a player”.
He said his conversation with Salah to tell him he would not travel to Milan was “a short one”.
“Usually I am calm and polite, but that doesn’t mean I am weak,” he said.
“If a player has these commands about so many things, then it’s about me and the club to react. We reacted in way you can see – he’s not here.”
He added: “I don’t feel my authority is undermined, it is not the way I feel it.
“After tomorrow we will look at the situation. There is always the possibility to return for a player. I have no clue [if he has played his last game for Liverpool] – I cannot answer that question at this point in time.”
Salah said in his interview it was “very clear that someone wants me to get all the blame”, but Slot says he does not know if that comment was aimed at him and gave his reasons for leaving Salah out for the past three games.
“It is hard for me to know who he was talking about,” Slot said.
“That is not the way I feel. He has the right to feel the way he does, but he does not have the right to share it with the media.
“He was very respectful and has trained really hard before the weekend – to that extent it was a surprise to me the comments he gave.
“Yes, we were [on speaking terms] but it doesn’t mean we were always agreeing on things.
“But it is not the first or the last time that a player who is not playing has said something similar to that.
“We as a team have struggled this season. I have tried to come up with solutions – that is my job. We tried many things and we looked very vulnerable against Nottingham Forest and PSV so I decided to play with an extra midfielder.”
Sources told BBC Sport the decision to leave Salah at home was taken with the full support of Slot, and that it is in the best interest of all parties involved for the player to have a brief period away from selection given the nature and timing of his public comments.
It is understood there will be no formal disciplinary action taken by the club.
Egypt forward Salah departs for the Africa Cup of Nations next Monday and also looks likely to also miss Liverpool’s Premier League home game against Brighton on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
Salah has scored 250 goals for Liverpool since signing from Roma in 2017, but has just five in 19 games this season.
Slot has named a 19-man squad for Tuesday, with the Reds also missing forwards Cody Gakpo and Federico Chiesa, and defensive midfielder Wataru Endo.
‘I hope he plays for Liverpool again’
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: Alisson addresses the media at San Siro Stadium
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson says Salah’s team-mates “have different thoughts” about his outburst, but the Brazil international wants the winger to return.
“This is not a situation that makes us happy, first and foremost because on a personal level we all love Mo,” he said.
“We were a little bit caught by surprise but we know it is a personal situation so we are leaving it between him and the club.
“What we believe does not come into things. What we want is for him and the club to reach an agreement in the best interests of him and the club and all of the playing staff.
“I hope he plays again for the club.”
He added: “We as his team-mates and his friends, we hope the best thing happens for him, but as Liverpool FC players we want the best for the club as well. We want a win-win situation for everyone.”
Alisson also backed his manager Slot, adding: “We believe [in] his style of play and that he is capable of helping us to turn around this situation.”
