Soccer

Arne Slot believes Mohamed Salah can sustain his level like Messi or Ronaldo

Liverpool manager brushes off social media post and claims his only conversations with Salah this week have centred on the Bayer Leverkusen Champions League game

Liverpool's Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah takes part in a training session. Photograph: Paul Ellis/Getty
Liverpool's Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah takes part in a training session. Photograph: Paul Ellis/Getty
Andy Hunter
Mon Nov 04 2024 - 19:00

Arne Slot has said Mohamed Salah can sustain a world-class level like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, and it is more important how the Liverpool striker plays than what he writes on social media.

Salah moved into outright eighth on the all-time Premier League goalscorers’ list with a stunning, trademark finish against Brighton on Saturday. It was the 164th goal of Salah’s Premier League career and ninth of the season so far in all competitions. On Sunday the striker, who is out of contract with Liverpool at the end of this season, posted a message on X that said: “No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like.”

Slot insists he has not spoken to the 32-year-old about a post that is open to interpretation, but he believes the Egypt international can continue delivering at the highest level beyond the duration of his current deal.

“There is no reason at the moment to think that he is dropping in terms of level,” said Liverpool’s head coach. “That’s not what you see when you look at his numbers or what you see when he plays. I don’t know how to say this in English, but I cannot tell you how the future will look like.

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“Cristiano Ronaldo, what age is he at the moment? [39]. Messi is still incredible [at 37]. But there are also players like me who weren’t as good any more at 33, not that I was so good at 26. I don’t know what the future brings but I do know Mo is in a very good place.”

The Premier League leaders host Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday. Slot claims his only conversations with Salah this week have centred on that game, not his social media activity, but accepts contract-related speculation that also applies to Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold will rumble on until their futures with the club are resolved.

“You interpreted it in a way that maybe other people don’t,” said Slot when asked about the possible warning in Salah’s post. “I don’t look at Instagram posts of my players, I only talk to them, which you can’t, which is the advantage I have. I am hoping he will make another post after tomorrow and again after Saturday. What he said with that is not important. For me what is important is how he plays and what he tells me when we have conversations. That is what matters and not how you guys interpret one of his posts.

[ Arne Slot praises Liverpool’s resilience after another come-from-behind display ]

“I haven’t spoken to him about it. We have spoken about Leverkusen because that team deserves all of our attention for the quality they have. He is out of contract at the end of the season – Virgil also said something in the press – and now he has a post which you interpreted in a certain way. This will probably continue for as long as their futures are not clear. In the meantime, let’s hope they bring in performances like Mo and Virgil had at the weekend.” – Guardian