Liverpool players cannot and do not want to influence the opinion of Mohamed Salah, said midfielder Dominik Soboslay after the 1-0 victory over Inter in a Champions League match. The Egyptian allowed himself to publicly criticize the club over the weekend and the two sides will most likely part ways during the January transfer window.
Salah was removed from the squad for the match with Inter and this will most likely be repeated this weekend against Brighton. After that, the Egyptian will travel to the African Cup of Nations.
"I am close to him and I know that this has nothing to do with other players. It is his own thing and entirely his choice. We cannot influence his life or his career. It is not our right. I love him as a person and as a friend. He has done a lot for this club and it is all his decision," said Szoboszlá, quoted by the "Guardian".
Liverpool players did not want to talk much about the topic, including Curtis Jones. The midfielder said that the scandal did not affect the atmosphere in the dressing room and that the players proved it with the victory over Inter.
Asked if Slot enjoys the support of the players, Jones replied: "Always, always. He is also human and gets angry when we fall. Results always affect, but not only us, but also the fans. He is a positive person and tries to make changes. He is hungry for success, which also applies to the players. Slot supports us and we support him".
Liverpool are undefeated in the four games in which Salah has been left on the bench or out of the squad. This came after home defeats to Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven, which led to rumours of a split between the "Reds" and Slot. Yesterday Liverpool played with a "diamond" in midfield, with Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak partnering up front.
"And for me it works because I play. It's another way of giving more players a chance. It's clear that it's difficult to keep everyone happy and satisfied. It's also clear that nobody likes to go down. It just needed a refresh and a bit of a change. That's exactly what happened," Jones added.