Mohamed Salah goes to the Africa Cup of Nations after Liverpool play Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend and will represent Egypt at the tournament in Morocco
Mohamed Salah is said to have held a lengthy phone call with Egypt boss Hossam Hassan following his explosive rant after the 3-3 draw between Leeds United and Liverpool. The forward has been recalled to the Reds’ matchday squad for Saturday afternoon’s clash with Brighton & Hove Albion.
He was omitted from the midweek trip to Milan when they beat Inter in the Champions League. That came after his accusation that Liverpool had thrown him under the bus after being an unused substitute at Elland Road.
It marked the third consecutive Premier League match that he had found himself starting among the substitutes. At the time, Salah said: “I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season. Now I’m sitting on the bench, and I don’t know why.
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“It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That’s how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. I got a lot of promises in the summer, and so far, I am on the bench for three games, so I can’t say they keep the promise.
“I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship. I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.”
Salah’s squad reinstatement follows face-to-face discussions with Arne Slot on Friday. Today’s Brighton fixture is the last match before he links up with Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations.
According to The Daily Mail, Salah had an extensive phone conversation with his national team manager regarding the ongoing situation. The report suggests that the response in his homeland of Egypt is ‘more intense than you would believe’.
Salah’s relationship with Hassan has not always been smooth sailing, but the current circumstances necessitate open communication to avoid any distractions from Egypt’s objectives. It is also reported that Salah’s international team-mate and Manchester City ace Omar Marmoush has reached out to him.
Egypt-based journalist Ismael Mahmoud shed light on the sentiment in Salah’s home country this week, revealing: “The reaction here is even more intense than you might imagine. Most Egyptians became Liverpool fans only because of Mo, so they simply cannot accept seeing their hero treated this way. For me and for the Egyptian fans, and I think even for Salah himself, Slot appears to be weak-minded.”
Former Egypt skipper Mohamed Omar said: “The reaction is a strong emotional response towards Mohamed, the son of Egypt and an icon of Egypt and the world. The Arab world supports Mohamed. It is entirely illogical to attack him.”
While TV presenter Mohamed Fouad expressed his shock, saying: “All the Egyptians are astonished. There, he has carved his name in gold with fans, management. I don’t believe Salah’s ambition is outside of England or Liverpool – or he would have taken that choice two years ago.”
Following the remarks, Hassan expressed his solidarity with Salah. Posting a picture of the pair together, he captioned it: “Always a symbol of determination and strength.”
Liverpool will be hoping that the match against Brighton will not be Salah’s last in a Liverpool jersey. However, it is said that the decision regarding his future lies with Salah himself.
If the forward is adamant about wanting to leave the club, Liverpool may have no option but to sell him. There are rumoured to be potential suitors from Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, with the January transfer window just around the corner.
After the Brighton match, Salah is due to jet off to Cairo for a pre-tournament training camp. Egypt are to face Nigeria in a friendly at the national stadium on Tuesday, and Salah could be part of the action.
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