Trent Alexander-Arnold has thrown his public support behind former Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah, following a turbulent week for the Egyptian forward that saw him dropped from the squad.
The Social Media Show of Support
Alexander-Arnold, who now plays for Real Madrid after leaving Anfield last summer, responded to a recent Instagram post from Salah. The post itself was wordless, featuring a graphic that highlighted Salah's remarkable Premier League record: the most goals and assists for a single club in the competition's history.
The England international replied with a simple goat emoji, universally recognised as an acronym for 'Greatest Of All Time'. This public endorsement comes after a period of intense scrutiny for Salah.
Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson also commented on the post, which amassed over 280,000 likes, leaving a crown and a red heart emoji.
The Background to the Controversy
The show of support follows a difficult period for Salah at Liverpool. The 33-year-old found himself at the centre of a media storm after giving a frank interview following Liverpool's draw with Leeds United earlier this month.
In that interview, Salah claimed he felt he had been "thrown under the bus" by the club and stated he had "no relationship" with manager Arne Slot. This came after Slot had left the prolific forward on the bench for three consecutive matches.
The fallout was immediate. As a direct consequence of his comments, Salah was omitted from the Liverpool squad that travelled to face Inter Milan in the Champions League last week.
Return to Action and Slot's Response
The situation took a positive turn at the weekend. Salah was reinstated to the squad for Liverpool's Premier League clash with Brighton at Anfield. He came off the bench to set up Hugo Ekitike's goal in a 2-0 victory, receiving a warm reception from the home supporters.
This match is expected to be his last for the club before he departs to represent Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
After the match, manager Arne Slot addressed the situation but remained guarded about the details of his private discussions with Salah. "For me, there is no issue to resolve," Slot stated. "He is the same as any other player."
Slot confirmed the omission against Inter Milan was due to Salah's interview, noting that every manager handles such matters differently. He emphasised that his conversations with players remain private, but pointed to actions over words. "He was in the squad again and... he performed as every fan wanted him to," Slot concluded.
The public backing from a respected former teammate like Alexander-Arnold marks a significant moment in this episode, highlighting Salah's enduring legacy at the club despite the recent friction.
