Arne Slott has held intense talks with Mohamed Salah over his future at Liverpool. After his orchestrated tirade against the club at Elland Road last weekend, there was a sense in which direction the pendulum would inevitably swing. The Egyptian’s time at Anfield appears to be coming to an end, or has already ended.
“I will have a conversation with Mo this morning and the outcome of that conversation will determine what happens tomorrow,” Slott said ahead of Saturday’s visit to Brighton, Salah’s last game before heading to the Africa Cup of Nations. Contrary to Salah’s approach, Slott is keen to hold the summit behind closed doors. “What I need is to talk to him. I think the next time I talk about Mo it should be with him, not here.”
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Salah threatened to plunge Liverpool into civil war when he stepped into the mixed zone for the fourth time in eight years and brought hell to the club he has brought so much glory to. It was an act of mutiny that exacerbated the dire on-field state seen over the past three months.
Without a locker room, Slaughter’s situation would have been irreversible. However, a return to his roots against Inter showed that Salah’s views do not represent those of the collective. Liverpool, mired in a soap opera, pulled together to register their fourth win in as many years at the San Siro and, more importantly, their first away win in the Champions League without Salah since 2009. Life without their long-time talismans suddenly doesn’t seem so dangerous.
The performance of the game changed, which is illogical for Salah to be in the team. Slott abandoned his call for explosive wingers and in the diamond game against Inter Milan, Slott sent out four midfielders – Ryan Glavenburch, Alexis Mike Allister, Curtis Jones and Dominic Szoboszlai – starting with the £194m Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitic in their second start in attack.
The results of this system switch are not exciting. Liverpool didn’t create huge chances at the San Siro and only secured victory thanks to a questionable late penalty. But they also didn’t allow Inter to create anything of note, with the defense looking far less vulnerable than it has been recently. It’s a step in the right direction, one that may have been facilitated by Salah’s tantrum and subsequent oversight.
Dominik Szoboszlai (right) celebrates Liverpool’s first goal against Inter Milan (Fabrizio Carabelli/PA Wire)
Suddenly there appears to be some cohesive thinking behind a summer transfer strategy that has so far raised more questions than answers. While neither Milos Kolquez nor the injured Jeremy Frimpong started for Milan, the extra defensive support provided by the two wide midfielders could be the answer to a sensitive issue early in their Liverpool careers – something that, as Jamie Carragher highlighted, Salah was unable to provide. This formation will also play to the strengths of Florian Wirtz, Ekitike and Isak; with Wirtz falling into the space created by the diamond and pulling behind the two No. 9s, this could be the path to harmony in Liverpool’s expensive attacking triangle.
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Slaughter already likes what he’s seeing, and after half a season of Ekitic and Isak vying for the same spot, the Dutchman sees the potential to start every week.
Arne Slaughter likes what he sees after changing Liverpool’s system (Getty Images)
“We all see, and this is normal, the more they play, the more they adapt and the better they work together,” Slaughter said. “The other two No. 9s on the Inter Milan pitch are more used to playing against each other. This is their second time playing together and I think we will see more of this in the future.”
While things haven’t quite clicked yet, this tactical overhaul might be just what Slaughter needs to get the most out of his summer recruit. This may determine the fate of the Egyptians more than Salah’s outburst. His pieces no longer fit into the Liverpool puzzle.
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Slott insists he is in peace talks with last season’s Premier League Golden Boot winner and intends to retain his services beyond January. “I have no reason not to want him to stay,” he asserted. However, his actions speak volumes.
Mohamed Salah’s future at Liverpool in doubt (PA Wire)
Having Salah on the bench for three consecutive games is a blatant sign that the 33-year-old, who signed a lucrative two-year contract extension in April, is no longer a problem. Salah left him out of the squad entirely following the Leeds incident and it now appears he is no longer in his plans. “The decision to play a player or get him into the squad, as I’ve experienced so far, I don’t think that will ever change, is entirely up to me,” he added.
The tide is turning and Liverpool need innovation to discover the form that won last season and severing ties with their poster boy could be the tearful sacrifice needed to usher in a new era of success at Anfield.
