ARNE SLOT dropped a major hint Mo Salah will start for Liverpool in the Champions League against Marseille.
The Reds star, 33, has been with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations with his Anfield future under a cloud.
Salah was last in Slot’s first XI against PSV on November 26.
He then gave an explosive interview claiming he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club and had “no relationship with Slot after being dropped.
Kop boss Slot said: “I saw that Mo has scored 45 goals for us at the Champions League level and the next, with five, is Virgil van Dijk.
“So it’s nice to have him back if he can reach these levels again. That is what he can show tomorrow.
Welcome offer
Get a £50 welcome bonus when you join Sun Vegas and spend £10
GOODISON GREAT
Former England star and Everton legend dies as tributes pour in
“I am really happy and pleased he is back. In his absence I think we have done quite OK in terms of hardly conceding any chances.
“If you create more and more then it’s helpful to have a player like Mo.
“There has only been one who scored more for this club (who is alive) but I don’t think I can play Ian Rush!
“There’s been a moment in the season where I decided not to play Mo. And one moment where I decided not to take him to the game.
Most read in Champions League
“For all the other games he’s been in the squad. This is the first time he is able to be in the squad again since he went to play for his country so let’s see for the line-up tomorrow if you still think there is an issue.”
Slot looked back on Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Burnley and paid the 250- goal third-top scorer in Liverpool’s history another big compliment.
He added: “We will never know but the amount of chances against Burnley, with Mo on the pitch, usually means we score more so I’m happy he’s back.”
The Reds will be without Ibrahima Konate due to “family reasons”.
Salah had a good tournament with Egypt at Afcon, netting four and assisting twice as he led his team to the semi-finals, where they were beaten by winners Senegal.
While the player is yet to speak since his bombshell interview, his team-mate Dominik Szoboszlai said he has spoken to the player “almost every day” while he was at Afcon.
When asked what he said to Salah, the Hungary star replied: “That’s between me and him. He will come back and then we keep on going. It’s the decision between the manager and the club.
“[I have spoken to him] to be honest, almost every day. We speak about everything. I’m following him, I guess he is following me. We talk a lot.”
Read the full article here
