Arne Slot jokes about Mohamed Salah Man City comment - 'He expects them not to be in the Premier League next season'
Updated 03/12/2024 at 10:50 GMT
Mohamed Salah said after scoring against Manchester City on Sunday that he might have played his last game against Pep Guardiola's side, with his Liverpool contract set to run out next summer. Liverpool boss Arne Slot has joked that Salah made the comment as he "knows more" about the 115 charges City are facing for alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.
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Video credit: SNTV
Arne Slot has joked that Mohamed Salah said he might have played his last Liverpool game against Manchester City because he "expects them not to be in the Premier League next season".
Salah, who is out of contract next summer, scored as Liverpool beat City 2-0 on Sunday to move 11 points clear of their rivals.
Liverpool travel to Newcastle on Wednesday and then Everton on Saturday for the Merseyside derby, which is live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Rivals City are awaiting the outcome of a hearing into their 115 charges for alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.
Among the punishments if found guilty could be that City are relegated from the Premier League.
Asked about Salah’s comment, Slot said with a smile: "Maybe Mo knows more about the 115 acquisitions [accusations] that are done, so he expects them not to be in the Premier League next season.
"I do expect them in the Premier League.
"The boring answer is always the same. This is not the place for me to talk about Mo’s contract. Maybe I’ve already said too much with the joke I just made, so that will probably get the headlines. But it was a joke, I repeat it was a joke!"
Liverpool’s win over Manchester City was their seventh in a row in all competitions and followed a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.
They look in charge of the Premier League title race heading into a tricky December run, when they have six games out of eight away from home, starting with Newcastle and then the Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park.
"We know we have a difficult week coming up again and as we thought, Real Madrid and Man City were difficult to face," added Slot.
"I think it's even harder to go to Newcastle away as well. We're not even halfway through the season yet, but it's a good position to be in. That's definitely true."
Slot could soon have a big decision to make in goal as Alisson nears his return from injury.
The Brazilian has been a key player for Liverpool since joining in 2018 but has been out since October 5 with injury.
In his absence Caoimhin Kelleher has impressed, saving penalties against Real Madrid and Southampton.
Slot, though, has suggested Alisson will replace him when fit later this month.
"I think I have been clear a few weeks ago about what my position is about our goalkeepers," said Slot about the situation.
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Caoimhin Kelleher
Image credit: Getty Images
"But we are just waiting for Alisson to be completely fit because Caoimhin is doing too well to put Alisson on goal if he's only 50%. That would not be good for Alisson and it would not be good for the team.
"He's getting there, it might take a few more extra days, but he's getting closer. Like I've always said, the end phase of a rehab is always the period where you feel like, 'Okay, is he really there or does he need extra days?'
"But he will be in goal before the end of December if things continue like they are now."
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