Mohamed Salah’s AFCON departure date revealed as Liverpool boss Arne Slot admits forward ‘not happy’ with sub role

Arne Slot has confirmed that Mohamed Salah will travel to the Africa Cup of Nations on or before December 15, though the Liverpool forward will remain available for the club’s Premier League fixture against Brighton on Saturday, December 13.

With Salah set to represent Egypt at the tournament, Slot admitted Liverpool must now begin preparing for a significant period without one of their most high-profile players.

“It [the deadline] is the 15th of December. As always there is the nation involved, the player involved and the club. There are always talks about what is the best for all three of us,” Slot said.

“We have to find a way to play without him as he’ll not be here. That’s true.”

Image:
Salah started on the bench for Liverpool against West Ham

Before his departure, Salah is expected to remain involved in Liverpool’s domestic campaign, with the Reds in action on Wednesday night against Sunderland, live on Sky Sports.

Slot also addressed Salah’s reaction after the forward was named on the bench for Liverpool’s contest against West Ham on Sunday – a rare decision for a player of his status.

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Liverpool boss Arne Slot praises the professionalism of Mo Salah after he was benched for their clash against West Ham.

“It was a normal reaction for a player who is good enough to play for us – and I say that mildly as he’s been so outstanding for this club and will be in the future,” Slot said. “He wasn’t happy he wasn’t starting but he wasn’t the only one.”

Despite that disappointment, Slot praised the way Salah conducted himself around the squad.

“But the way he behaved was as you’d expect from such a professional: he supported his teammates and handled himself really well,” he added.

Slot also highlighted Salah’s discipline and mentality regardless of selection.

“You can’t be a player that has to play every three days to a high standard but he’s so disciplined and knows what to do to stay fit. Whether he plays well, doesn’t play well, plays or doesn’t play, he’ll always be that top professional.”

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Salah should play vs Sunderland – but Liverpool have no-one has back-up

Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher in The Overlap:

“I’ve been critical of Mo Salah off the pitch this season. On the pitch, he’s had too much criticism. The team’s not playing well, so he’s not going to be as good.

“He is in his early 30s and this is the first season he’s ever had where he’s not been amazing. Even when Liverpool have had poor seasons over the last seven or eight years, Salah’s still scored 30 goals. It’s the first time he’s ever had a poor start to the season.

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“If you still look at how Liverpool set up at West Ham, they basically played without a right winger – because they haven’t got anyone in behind him to replace him. The make-up of that team, yes they won, but it’s not a template for Liverpool going forward as a proper team.

“You’re pleased Joe Gomez is coming back, but he’s not a flying full-back and doesn’t have a winger in front of him. So he had to almost be the right winger. That’s not a progression going forward, that was to do a job on Sunday. I think Salah comes back in against Sunderland.

“I’ve got a thing with Salah playing away from home. It is quite sensible in certain games, especially away from home in Europe – maybe Inter Milan away in the Champions League – where you take him out. I’d leave him in against Leeds, but he doesn’t play every week.

“But it goes back to the make-up of the squad, where you haven’t got any cover for the wide players. Cody Gakpo has to play every game and Salah does because there’s nobody behind him.”

Slot: Question marks over the fitness of Wirtz, Gomez and Isak

Slot said Liverpool’s team news for the clash with Sunderland will depend on how several players come through training, with Florian Wirtz, Joe Gomez and Alexander Isak all being assessed ahead of the game after recent fitness concerns.

“Let’s see how players feel after training today. Wirtz has missed almost two weeks of training so for him to play minutes is a good thing but let’s see. Joe Gomez also,” he said.

“It was encouraging to see Wirtz play so well. It maybe the first time for other people but I’ve seen him play very well for us already. It was great for Alex {Isak] to score his first goal but he couldn’t play anymore minutes as he was telling me he was feeling a bit of cramp. So it’s another player to see how he does when he trains today.

Image:
Arne Slot speaks to Alexander Isak

“They can’t play three full 90 minutes in a week but all three can be involved if they don’t get an injury.”