Salah returns after outburst, makes history in Liverpool's win
Mohamed Salah came off the bench and set up a goal in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, one week after his explosive outburst against the club and manager Arne Slot.
The Egyptian star was greeted by cheers from the Anfield crowd when he was introduced in the 26th minute to replace injured defender Joe Gomez.
Liverpool were leading 1-0 at the time after Hugo Ekitike's early goal.
The Frenchman doubled the lead in the 60th minute when he headed home Salah's corner kick.
The assist saw Salah become the Premier League's all-time leader in goal contributions for a single club with 277. He moved ahead of Wayne Rooney, who racked up 276 combined goals and assists for Manchester United during his celebrated career.
Salah had a great chance to score a goal of his own in stoppage time, but his wayward shot sailed over the net after a quick Liverpool counterattack.
After the match, Slot said there was "no issue to resolve" with Salah, according to Agence France-Presse.
"For me he's now the same as any other player," the Dutch coach said. "You talk to your players if you're happy or unhappy with things, but there's nothing for me to talk about after what happened against Leeds, after the game."
"I think, as I usually never say anything about (what) we talk about, I'm not going to make an exception now, but I think actions speak louder than what has been said," Slot continued. "He was in the squad again and when I had to make my first substitutions, I brought him in. And he performed as I think every fan, including me, would like him to perform today."
Salah recently expressed his frustration with Liverpool, saying last weekend that the club had "thrown me under the bus" and that his relationship with Slot was over after being named on the bench for three consecutive games. He came on as a second-half substitute in the second match of that run against Sunderland, but didn't make a telling contribution in the 1-1 draw.
Slot omitted Salah from the Champions League squad that traveled for Tuesday's 1-0 win at Inter Milan after the rant. However, he opened the door for reconciliation Friday morning when he said he would talk to the Egyptian attacker later that day. "I have no reasons not wanting him to stay," Slot said.
However, during his tirade, Salah revealed that he had invited his parents to the Brighton game, believing that it could be his last appearance for Liverpool. "I don't know if I am going to play or not, but I am going to enjoy it," he said.
Salah is now due to join the Egypt squad for its Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
The break from Liverpool is viewed as time for both parties to decide whether his future lies at Anfield or elsewhere, according to The Telegraph's Mike McGrath. Salah's agent, Ramy Abbas, will continue talks with the club while his client is at the tournament, Patel reports.
Salah has frequently been linked to a lucrative transfer to the Saudi Pro League, and those rumors intensified Wednesday after The Sun published pictures of the 33-year-old meeting former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson in London. Salah's ex-teammate played for Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia but left the club after five months.