Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has personally apologised to his teammates following his explosive public comments about manager Arne Slot and the club's hierarchy, midfielder Curtis Jones has disclosed.
The Infamous Outburst and Immediate Fallout
The controversy erupted two weeks ago after Liverpool's dramatic 3-3 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road. Salah, who was an unused substitute for the third consecutive match, gave a remarkable post-match interview where he claimed he felt the club had "thrown him under the bus" and revealed he had no relationship with new boss Arne Slot.
"I could not believe. I was sitting on the bench for 90 minutes. That’s the third time. It’s the first time in my career I think," Salah said at the time. He expressed deep disappointment, referencing his contributions to the club and alleging broken promises from the summer.
The immediate consequence saw Salah omitted from the squad for Liverpool's following victory at Inter Milan, fuelling intense speculation about his future at Anfield.
Teammates Reveal Apology and Show of Unity
Speaking to Sky Sports, Curtis Jones has now shed light on how the situation was resolved internally. He confirmed that Salah addressed the squad directly to apologise for any impact his comments may have had.
"Mo is his own man and he can say his own stuff," Jones stated. "He apologised to us and was like, 'If I've affected anybody or made you feel any sort of way, I apologise'. That's the man that he is."
Jones emphasised that the incident has not fractured the dressing room, describing Salah as returning to the group with his usual positive demeanour. The entire squad remains fully behind the Egyptian superstar.
"He was the exact same Mo, he had a big smile on his face and everybody was exactly the same with him," Jones added. He defended Salah's passion, suggesting the frustration stemmed from a desire to win and contribute, which he views as preferable to a player accepting a bench role without complaint.
Moving Forward: Reintegration and International Duty
The reconciliation process involved a clear-the-air meeting between Salah and manager Arne Slot. Following this, Salah was reinstated for last weekend's match against Brighton & Hove Albion, where he made a positive impact as a substitute in a 2-0 win.
Slot later stated he had "no issue to resolve" with the player. Ahead of Liverpool's upcoming clash with Tottenham Hotspur, the Dutch manager confirmed the matter is closed, pointing to Salah's reintegration as proof.
"Actions speak louder than words and we moved on, he was in the squad and the first sub I made," Slot said on Friday.
The focus now shifts to Salah's international commitments, as he has since joined the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations. Slot expressed a desire for the forward to concentrate fully on representing his country without further distraction from the recent saga at Liverpool.
