Arne Slot Softens Stance in Mohamed Salah Row After Leeds Fallout

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has softened his position in the ongoing Mohamed Salah row, easing tension after the forward was left out of the squad for the Champions League clash with Inter Milan. The situation escalated earlier this week when Salah, frustrated after being benched for three straight games, claimed he had “no relationship” with Slot following the 3-3 draw at Leeds. Slot initially hinted that Salah should make the first move and apologise, intensifying speculation about the player’s future.

Despite the off-field drama, Liverpool delivered a strong performance, beating Inter Milan 1-0 at the San Siro.

Arne Slot Addresses the Mohamed Salah Row: Who Should Make the First Move?

After the match, Slot was immediately questioned about Salah’s future, especially as the forward hinted that the upcoming Brighton game might be his last for Liverpool. The Arne Slot–Mohamed Salah row had clearly become the dominant narrative.

Slot told Amazon Prime:

“First you have to ask if the player feels he made a mistake. I’m going to talk to him. But then you have to ask: should the initiative come from me?”

Manager Clarifies His Comments as Tension Eases

Later in his press conference, Slot softened his tone and attempted to calm the situation.

“I didn’t say who should make the first step,” he clarified. “Tonight should be about the players who are here. Liverpool has had many nights like this in our history.”

His shift in language suggested an effort to de-escalate the Mohamed Salah row, opening the door for reconciliation.

Szoboszlai Seals the Win as Liverpool Show Resilience

Dominik Szoboszlai scored an 88th-minute penalty to give Liverpool the victory. Slot hinted the decision looked soft, but praised his team for battling through fatigue.

“This was our fourth game in ten days. You don’t often see that with only 13 outfield players with top-level experience.”

He highlighted the group’s mentality and improvement after the setback against Leeds.

“We hardly gave away a chance against a strong Inter team. Our mentality was excellent.”

Slot ended jokingly:

“If that was a penalty, we could have had ten this season. In the Premier League, it wouldn’t have been given.”