'I have no clue' – Slot unsure if Salah has played final Liverpool game

Arne Slot conceded that he was unsure whether Mohamed Salah had played his last game for Liverpool following his explosive outburst over the weekend. 

Liverpool are preparing to take on Inter in the Champions League on Tuesday, but all the talk has been about Salah after the Reds were held to a 3-3 draw by Leeds United. 

The Egyptian was an unused substitute at Elland Road and was on the bench for the third successive game, with the forward making his feelings known about the situation. 

Salah suggested that he had been "thrown under the bus" by the club amid their poor run of form, while also saying that he had no relationship with Slot after the match. 

And two days on from the incident, Liverpool confirmed on Monday that Salah had been left out of their 19-man travelling party for the fixture at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. 

Since joining the club in 2017, Salah has made 420 appearances across all competitions, netting a staggering 250 goals while also laying on 113 assists for his team-mates. 

But when asked whether Salah had played his final game for Liverpool, Slot told reporters: "I have no clue. I cannot answer that question at this moment in time."

Salah's exclusion has also thrown his participation in Liverpool's Premier League match with Brighton on Saturday into doubt, with the forward heading for the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt next week. 

The Reds also arrive in Italy without Federico Chiesa, who is suffering from an illness, while Cody Gakpo misses out after picking up an injury against Leeds. 

And with Liverpool's forward options somewhat straying, Slot explained that he would review the situation once again to see if Salah would be available to face Brighton. 

"We are sitting here in the evening before a big game for us, and there is only 36 hours maybe since we conceded the goal for 3-3 against Leeds," Slot added. 

"I've tried to prepare my team in the best possible way for tomorrow evening, so most thoughts I have are about tomorrow.

"After tomorrow, we will look at the situation again. I'm a firm believer that there is always a possibility to return for a player."

Salah has managed just five goals and three assists this season, following his sensational 2024-25 campaign, where he registered 57 goal involvements in all competitions. 

The 33-year-old is considered one of the key members of the Liverpool squad, though Slot said Salah's words did not have a huge impact on how he felt about the situation. 

"I don't feel that my authority has been undermined. It's not the way I feel it," the Dutchman said. 

"It's not about me. If my life is difficult, yes or no, that's not very important in a situation like this.

"It's if it is more difficult for the team and for the club. No one likes us to be in the situation we're in at the moment.

"First of all, it's difficult to see staff members who work so hard are affected by the situation we're in now. Mainly because of the results.

"I'm the manager, I have to pick a team, so to a certain extent I'm important, but my focus is on the team and not on me."

Slot also added that conversations had been had with Salah surrounding his exclusion from the starting line-up, but said those chats were not always positive. 

"Yes, we were [on speaking terms], but it doesn't mean we were always agreeing on things," Slot said. "I spoke to him twice in the two days before Leeds.

"He was on the training ground today, and I told him that he didn't travel, but that's not having a conversation.

"I had that conversation twice before Leeds, one a bit longer and one a bit shorter. I'm not going to go into the details."