‘It was not nice…’ – Szoboszlai shares how he felt about explosive Mo Salah tirade last month
It was a month ago yesterday that Mo Salah lobbed a hand grenade into an already tumultuous season for Liverpool with comments he made after the Reds’ 3-3 draw away to Leeds.
Having been left out of the starting XI for the third time in a week and not even made it off the bench at Elland Road, the Egyptian went on the offensive by claiming that his relationship with Arne Slot had broken down and that someone at the club was attempting to throw him under the bus (Sky Sports).
He and the head coach sufficiently made peace for him to be involved in our subsequent Premier League game against Brighton, his last game for LFC before flying out to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), in which his country have reached the quarter-finals.
Szoboszlai reflects on unpleasant fallout from Salah tirade
Ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Arsenal on Thursday night, Dominik Szoboszlai gave an interview to Sky Sports in which he discussed his friendship with Salah and the fallout from the winger’s explosive remarks at Elland Road 32 days ago.
The Hungarian said: “It was not nice to see it. He is professional enough to handle the situation. I never got involved. I was there for him every day, if he wanted to talk to someone and if he needed help. He has the character to deal with this situation.
“Everybody hopes that he is going to come back after AFCON and help us in the same way he did last season, but that is his decision and the club’s decision. As a friend and teammate, I love playing with him. I know what he is able to do. Last season, he showed that he is able to do anything.”
What next for Salah at Liverpool once he’s back from AFCON?
The fallout from Salah’s comments after the Leeds game must’ve been hugely difficult for his teammates, who’d regard him as a friend as well as a fellow professional, and they’d have watched on as the 33-year-old was widely condemned over that interview.
His positive performance against Brighton before jetting off to AFCON at least allowed him to depart for the tournament on a positive note, and he’s already struck three goals for Egypt at the finals, the latest of which capped a 3-1 win over Benin after extra time on Monday.
That competition has allowed him to escape the storm which had been brewing in England after his Elland Road outburst, although it’ll be compelling to see what happens at Liverpool once he returns to the club later this month.
Although he hasn’t started for any portion of the Reds’ current nine-match unbeaten streak, injuries to other forwards may well see him go straight into the line-up once he’s back on Merseyside, when hopefully he’ll carry over his form from AFCON.
The bigger question as to whether he’ll still be at Anfield for next season is another matter. Although he has 18 months remaining on his contract, any lingering tension over his December outburst could potentially make the club more amenable to cashing in this year.
Let’s hope that the headlines around Salah for the remainder of this campaign are all about his exploits on the pitch rather than whatever he might say off it.
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