The End of Controversy for a Four-Time Golden Boot Winner

A few weeks have passed since Mohamed Salah spoke against Liverpool’s coach, Arne Slot, after a 3-3 tie against Leeds left the team standing at an unusually poor 10th place on the position chart. Things seem to have taken a turn for the better for the Reds, who won the next two games against Brighton and Tottenham Hotspur, earning them an improved fifth place on the current scoreboard. Nevertheless, Salah’s declarations seem to have taken a toll on Slot’s coaching in a season where criticisms of Liverpool’s performance in the Premier League have been abundant. 

Salah’s outrage was made known shortly after the match against Leeds, a game he was not a part of, adding to two prior matches where he was placed on the bench. His statements made clear that his relationship with Liverpool’s coach had become incongruous, further putting into question the management of Slot. The ‘Egyptian King’ mentioned how he felt he had been thrown under the bus by the team’s manager, an affirmation that could not be ignored, especially during an unremarkable season for the Reds. Salah went as far as doubting his own permanence on the team, even after recently signing a contract that binds him to Liverpool until 2027. 

Liverpool’s forward did play on the field against Brighton a week afterwards. Yet, has been absent from Anfield ever since, representing Egypt at the Africa Cup. He has apologized to his teammates for his declarations, yet nothing else has been said about his relationship with Liverpool’s head coach. Slot himself has stated that they both moved on from the controversy, and although tensions have indeed lowered, the future of the Egyptian player still does not appear to be completely clear while he is abroad.

The game against Brighton last weekend might have changed the tide for Slot’s team, somewhat discrediting Salah’s statements as mere complaints against his renowned coach. Whether Liverpool is just going through a bad streak or slowly decreasing its quality as a team remains unknown. The last two matches of The Reds have once again shown a team that has won the Premier League Championship 20 times. The fans can only hope that things will get even better for Liverpool as they go halfway through the Premier League.