Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has emphatically declared that the club has moved on from the recent public dispute with star forward Mohamed Salah, insisting the team's collective focus is now paramount.
Situation Resolved After Leeds Fallout
The issue arose two weeks ago when Salah, after being substituted in the match at Leeds United, claimed he had 'no relationship' with Slot and felt the club had thrown him 'under the bus'. This led to the Egyptian being dropped from the squad for the following game, sparking intense speculation about a potential acrimonious departure from Anfield.
However, the situation was swiftly addressed. Salah returned to the matchday squad for last weekend's victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, coming off the bench to provide an assist. Slot stated that 'actions speak louder than words' and pointed to Salah's reintegration as proof the matter was closed.
Current Focus on AFCON and Tottenham Test
With Salah now away representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, Slot believes it is fair for all attention to be on his international commitments. The Dutchman stressed there should be no distractions from Liverpool's end.
'He is at the Africa Cup of Nations playing big games for himself and also the country,' Slot said in his Friday press conference. 'I think it is fair to them and also to us that all the focus is for him over there. We have moved on after the Leeds interview and he played against Brighton. So it is fair for us to talk about Tottenham.'
Liverpool face a significant Premier League test against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Saturday.
Team News: Boost for Slot with Frimpong Return
Slot also provided a detailed update on his squad's fitness ahead of the Tottenham match, revealing a mix of positive and negative news.
Jeremie Frimpong is back in the squad after recovering from injury, offering a welcome boost to the defensive options. However, fellow defender Joe Gomez will miss the game due to a hamstring problem.
In midfield, Dominik Szoboszlai has returned to training following a minor ankle issue. There was also encouraging news regarding forward Cody Gakpo, whose injury is less severe than initially feared. While he is likely to miss the upcoming fixtures against Spurs and Wolves, his return is expected sooner than originally planned.
Slot Praises Ekitike's Impact and Work Rate
The Liverpool boss took time to praise the recent form of striker Hugo Ekitike, who has scored four goals in his last two league appearances. Slot revealed he has focused heavily on the Frenchman's defensive contributions.
'He's improved a lot in terms of how much he runs and how hard he works,' Slot said. 'That is a big help for the team because people focus on goals but he helps us out now defensively as well. That is very important for a No.9.'
Slot joked about his conversations with the player, saying: 'I’ve probably spoken more with him about what I expect more defensively than offensively. After I signed him, he sometimes felt, “Can we also talk about offence?!”'
