NO MO SALAH, NO PROBLEM: SLOT EXPLAINS BENCH DECISION AFTER 2-0 VICTORY
Arne Slot successfully benched Mo Salah for tactical rotation in a 2-0 win over West Ham. Slot defended the move, as Florian Wirtz had his best game yet.
Liverpool's star player, Mo Salah, who had faced criticism during a tough stretch where they lost nine out of 12 games, didn't play at all in their important 2-0 win against West Ham. He joined Giorgi Mamardashvili, Curtis Jones, and Hugo Ekitike on the bench. Florian Wirtz and Alisson Becker were back after being out with injuries and illness, respectively, along with Alexander Isak and Joe Gomez.
It was a risky move by Slot, who's been under pressure, but it worked out. Wirtz, the £116 million signing, had what Jamie Carragher called his best game in English football so far. Isak also scored his first league goal since his £125m transfer from Newcastle last summer.
Before the West Ham game, Slot said Salah's absence was simply to rotate the team because of the busy schedule. He said the same thing after the game, also explaining the tactics behind his choice.
“I get this question a lot,” he said. “It's the same every time we play a game, and Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, or Mo Salah don’t play.
“It’s normal to get these questions because they’re all great players. Mo has had an amazing career here and will continue to be great because he’s special.
“With four games in 10 days and only 14 or 15 outfield players available, you have to decide on a lineup and pick the best one for each game.
“Against West Ham, with their setup of a very high full-back and a winger cutting inside, I thought this lineup would help the team. Mo has been important for this club and will continue to be.”
Wirtz played against West Ham after missing the losses to Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven due to an injury. However, Liverpool was still missing right-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley, as well as Giovani Leoni.
Kerkez should be fine, even though he was replaced by Andy Robertson late in the game.
“It was just a cramp,” Slot said about Kerkez. “Bowen's only chance came when Kerkez was out, but it wasn't because of the replacement.
“That was their only chance, and it was because of that. He had a good defensive game.
“He was also a threat to attack a few times in the first half, and one of his crosses could have led to a goal if we were in better form.
“It shows that some players need time to get used to the League and playing three games a week.
“So, it's not surprising that Milos had a cramp. He’s not completely used to this schedule, and he always gives it his all.”
MOHAMED SALAH SET TO LEAVE LIVERPOOL: FENERBAHCE PREPARE STUNNING THREE-YEAR CONTRACT OFFER
After a decade at Anfield, Mohamed Salah's next move is the talk of football. Will he join Messi or stay in European leagues?
Mohamed Salah looks set to leave Liverpool this summer, and it sounds like he wants to stay in Europe. One of the hottest rumours right now is about Fenerbahçe; they’re ready to offer him a three-year deal worth around £52 million. That’s a huge pay packet, but probably not as big as what he’d get in Saudi Arabia.
Salah’s been on Merseyside for almost a decade, and it’s hard to overstate just how much he’s done for Liverpool. Since joining in 2017 with Jurgen Klopp in charge, he’s picked up two Premier League titles, a Champions League medal, an FA Cup, and two League Cups. Pretty impressive, honestly. But this season hasn’t gone his way, and new boss Arne Slot dropped him for a few games after his form dipped. When Salah announced in March that he’d be leaving, people started up with transfer rumours right away.
In recent years, clubs from the Saudi Pro League have shown considerable interest. Last year, Al Ittihad went as far as slapping a £150 million offer on the table, but Liverpool turned it down.
Now the story goes that Salah wants to stay in Europe even though he’d pocket way more in Saudi Arabia. Reports out of Egypt claim Fenerbahce, managed by Jose Mourinho’s old club, have already sat down with Salah’s agent. They apparently laid out their big plans, offering £17.3 million a year with a three-year contract, and they want to build the team around him to end their league title drought stretching back to 2014.
There’s also talk of Real Madrid getting involved. Still, their transfer policy usually steers clear of handing massive contracts to players pushing the end of their careers, even superstars like Salah. Clubs in Italy, like Roma, Juventus, and Inter Milan, are keeping tabs on him too. And just to make things more interesting, someone floated the idea of Salah joining up with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami in the MLS, though the league's salary cap throws a wrench into that.
At this point, everybody’s watching Salah’s next move; the only certainty is that he won’t be short of offers when he finally says goodbye to Liverpool.
WHY IS LIVERPOOL HESITATING TO HIRE XABI ALONSO DESPITE OVERWHELMING FAN SUPPORT?
Liverpool has contacted Real Madrid to investigate Xabi Alonso’s tenure, as pressure grows on current manager Arne Slot at Anfield.
Liverpool have reached out to Real Madrid to ask about Xabi Alonso, but honestly, there’s some debate going on behind the scenes. People have been talking about Alonso stepping in at Anfield, especially since Arne Slot’s season hasn’t gone over well. Fans let out some boos after that 1-1 draw with Chelsea, and the mood is pretty tense. Even though Slot led Liverpool to a league title last year, quite a few supporters seem fed up with him and would rather see Alonso take charge.
But Spanish outlet AS says Liverpool have contacted Real Madrid to get the inside scoop on what happened during Alonso’s time at the club. It sounds like the decision-makers at Liverpool are starting to feel unsure about him, and they might actually stick with Slot for another season.
Alonso landed the Real Madrid job last summer after doing wonders at Bayer Leverkusen. Still, just six months in, Madrid let him go, reportedly because the locker room was falling apart. Liverpool’s relationship with Real Madrid is strong, and they apparently want some honest feedback – kind of like asking for a reference from a past employer, which isn’t unusual.
Liverpool’s spot in next year’s Champions League is almost locked in, but with two games left, it’s not guaranteed yet. When asked about the boos, Slot admitted he has some work to do to win fans over.
He said, “Not this season. Fans won’t change their minds now. But if we get the summer we’re planning, I’m convinced we’ll be a different team next season. Results, style, everything. It’s not always easy, though. Sometimes you know what needs fixing, but getting what you want isn’t so simple. This season, it’s been pretty clear what we’re missing. We’re trying to solve it, but one issue is simply having enough fit players. Still, our guys show every week in the second half that they’re giving everything they’ve got.”
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