Liverpool's Mohamed Salah dropped for West Ham, a decision that has left coach Arne Slot feeling uneasy. The Egyptian superstar has been an integral part of the team for eight phenomenal seasons, but his recent form has raised questions about his place in the starting XI.
Slot admitted it was tough to see Salah lose his starting spot, despite insisting it wasn't the start of Liverpool's transition without their star player. "It is not a nice thing for him, not for a Liverpool fan and not for me," Slot said, expressing his preference to see Salah on the pitch, scoring goals and doing something special.
However, Slot reassured fans that Salah will still be important for the team in the coming days, especially after he departs for the Africa Cup of Nations. The coach praised Salah's supportive attitude towards teammates during training and Sunday's match, highlighting the player's commitment to bringing out the best in himself every day.
Slot also revealed that Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai was not a permanent replacement for Salah, but rather a stopgap measure to help West Ham navigate their current slump. The coach believes Szoboszlai can be versatile and play in different positions, including as a midfielder or full-back, but doesn't expect him to be a long-term solution.
Meanwhile, right-back Conor Bradley has resumed team training after missing three games due to injury, and could potentially feature against Leeds on Saturday. Salah's absence from the squad is due to his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations, which FIFA has set as the latest release date for players competing in international tournaments.
Slot admitted it was tough to see Salah lose his starting spot, despite insisting it wasn't the start of Liverpool's transition without their star player. "It is not a nice thing for him, not for a Liverpool fan and not for me," Slot said, expressing his preference to see Salah on the pitch, scoring goals and doing something special.
However, Slot reassured fans that Salah will still be important for the team in the coming days, especially after he departs for the Africa Cup of Nations. The coach praised Salah's supportive attitude towards teammates during training and Sunday's match, highlighting the player's commitment to bringing out the best in himself every day.
Slot also revealed that Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai was not a permanent replacement for Salah, but rather a stopgap measure to help West Ham navigate their current slump. The coach believes Szoboszlai can be versatile and play in different positions, including as a midfielder or full-back, but doesn't expect him to be a long-term solution.
Meanwhile, right-back Conor Bradley has resumed team training after missing three games due to injury, and could potentially feature against Leeds on Saturday. Salah's absence from the squad is due to his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations, which FIFA has set as the latest release date for players competing in international tournaments.
! I mean I get it, teams gotta make changes and all that but Mohamed Salah dropping from the starting lineup after 8 years?! 
That's like asking a friend who's been with you since high school to suddenly stop hanging out just because they're having a bad day. Arne Slot's got some 'splainin' to do 
. But seriously, I think it's great that Salah is still gonna be important for the team, especially after he heads off to the Africa Cup of Nations 
. And I love how Slot's praising Szoboszlai's supportive attitude - that's what teammates are for, right? 
. but at the same time, i get why they had to make a change - his form has been off lately and slot's gotta try something new 
. the thing that really gets me though is how much i love seeing Mo in action on the pitch 
️! he brings so much energy and creativity to the game, and it's always a treat to watch him score goals 
! as for szoboszlai, i think he's gonna be a decent stopgap but we all know it won't be the same without Mo leading the charge 
. fingers crossed Conor Bradley gets back from injury ASAP so we can get our Liverpool fix again 
should've just given him a break or played him on the bench if he's lost his form 
anyway, glad to hear he'll still be key player after AFCON, hope he scores some goals and makes it worth it 
Salah gets benched 
gypt vs 
England... who's laughing now? 
Coach Slot says Salah is not a bench warmer, he's just on loan at West Ham 
Can't wait for Salah to score goals and get back to his old self 
Arne Slot: "I'm not worried about Salah, I'm worried about our chances with him on the pitch 
. Eight years with Liverpool and now he's dropped? I get it, form doesn't dictate everything, but Salah is a legend here, you know? 
Slot says it wasn't meant to be a sign of things to come, but I think it's gonna take some time for the fans to buy into that 
, but can't help feeling like this is a bit of a setback. Still, fingers crossed he gets back on track for the Africa Cup of Nations