Arne Slot has expressed that he would feel “uneasy” about excluding Mohamed Salah from the Liverpool squad again, but is prepared to make that decision if he believes it’s in the best interest of the team.
Salah recently made his first start since being benched in November during Liverpool’s 3-0 Champions League victory over Marseille, which followed his return from the African Cup of Nations.
Before that, he gave a candid interview at Leeds, stating that he no longer felt a connection with Slot and felt he had been mistreated by the club.
He was left out of the squad for the match against Inter Milan as a form of punishment, but returned to play as a substitute against Brighton before claiming his spot back this week.
Slot acknowledged the difficulty of excluding a player like Salah, the reigning Footballer of the Year and a prolific scorer with 250 goals for the club. He commented, “I always feel uncomfortable leaving a player out, especially one who has contributed so much to this club. While I’ve worked closely with a player and shared successes, part of my role involves making decisions I believe are best for the team.”
“However, those decisions are never easy—this applies not just to Mo, but to every player I have to leave out, given their dedication and talent,” he added.
Slot indicated that he doesn’t expect Salah, who is anticipated to remain on the starting lineup for Saturday’s match against Bournemouth, to take kindly to being benched again.
Arne Slot is likely to keep Mohamed Salah in the starting XI for the trip to Bournemouth (Action Images via Reuters)
He continued, “I believe that every player understands a manager must make choices, and it’s natural for players to disagree 99 out of 100 times when they are not selected. This is essential, as confidence is key for performing before large crowds.”
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“Players need to feel that they are capable and deserving of a place in the lineup. I’m not speaking solely about Mo; this extends to all players. It is inherently challenging for any athlete who is left out because they want to contribute and demonstrate their abilities for the team.”
“Mo fits that description perfectly. He is not the type of player who would accept being benched for multiple matches in a row; this is evident to everyone. But this sentiment is universal among all players.”