Michael Owen is hopeful that Mohamed Salah has not played his final game for Liverpool after he came off the bench to help Arne Slot’s side beat Brighton 2-0.
Salah has dominated the headlines over the past week following his astonishing and scathing rant where he claimed he had been ‘thrown under the bus’ by Liverpool and had ‘no relationship’ with head coach Slot.
The Egyptian King was subsequently left out of the squad that beat Inter Milan in the Champions League but following ‘peace talks’ returned for Saturday’s Premier League match against the Seagulls – albeit on the bench.
Hugo Ekitike opened the scoring at Anfield after just 46 seconds, before Salah was called into action in the 26th minute following an injury to Joe Gomez.
And the winger put in a very good shift, assisting Ekitike’s second goal as the Reds secured a much-needed victory after winning just one of their last five league matches.
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Liverpool legend Owen wasn’t massively enamoured with the 33-year-old’s performance but felt he did well enough, telling Premier League Productions: ‘He did fine. He did quite well.
‘He was quite unselfish at times. He certainly put in a shift, he was running a lot more than in previous games. He would have been desperate to get on the score sheet of course, but he did okay.
‘I suppose he knocked a corner in for the goal. A good day’s work. Listen, when you win 2-0, the world looks rosy no matter what.
‘I think everybody at Liverpool will be pleased that he’s back in the fray. They’ve won the game, clean sheet and service has resumed in many ways.’
At full-time, Salah looked visibly emotional as he applauded the Anfield faithful, who gave their hero a nice reception all match.
The forward, one of the greatest players in Liverpool’s history, now flies off to the Africa Cup of Nations and won’t be back for around a month.
But his comments last week and continued rumours linking him with the Saudi Pro League, have fuelled speculation that he could be sold in the January transfer window, with the Brighton win his last dance for the Reds.
Owen doesn’t believe that will be case however, adding: ‘There was a little bit of a question mark whether he was going to get that real good reception from the fans because a lot of people were taking the side of Arne Slot.
‘Not that he was against him, it wasn’t a duel, but it was Mo Salah against the club in many ways, wasn’t it? And they were obviously taking the side of the club.
‘I thought there might be a few jeers, a few boos, but there was none of it today and he’ll be delighted with that as well. All that he’s done for the club, it would be awful to finish his career at Liverpool getting booed off, but that never happened.
‘And hopefully that was, “I’ll see you in a month or so because I’m off to represent my country”, and normal service has resumed. Hopefully, it’s not a, “goodbye, I’m going and I’m going for good”.’
Arne Slot gives Mo Salah update after Liverpool beat Brighton
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Slot insisted the matter with Salah was over and insisted he would not be leaving in January: ‘For me there is no issue to resolve. For me, he is the same as any other player.
‘You talk to your players if you are happy or unhappy with things but there is nothing for me to talk about after what happened against Leeds after the game.
‘The reason he wasn’t in Milan was his interview. I spoke to him yesterday. What has been said between the two of us in that conversation stays between us. What you see is what you get to know. He was in the squad and my first substitution.
‘But actions speak louder than what has been said. He was in the squad again and when I had to make my first substitution, I brought him in and he performed as every fan wanted him to, including me, would like him to perform today.’
‘I think he wasn’t the only player who walked around the pitch, thanking the fans because I think our fans deserved a thank you from us. I think our players worked incredibly hard today to keep a clean sheet.
‘Mo is going to go to AFCON now. I hope he is going to do very well and in the meantime we have to play here without him, with not that many players available at the moment.
‘He is a Liverpool player and the moment he is there, I like to use him when we need him.’
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