Arne Slot hit back at suggestions from Mohamed Salah that the standards at Liverpool have plummeted under his leadership.
Salah spoke passionately last week to air some concerns that there will be no standard-setters left at the club following his imminent exit.
However, when put to him during Friday’s pre-Chelsea press conference, Slot rightly bristled at the suggestion, and finally lay some blame at the feet of his underperforming players.
Liverpool keep Arne Slot, Xabi Alonso goes to Chelsea. How would you react? 😄😡
Liverpool players need to get a grip
Throughout Liverpool‘s difficult 2025/26 campaign, Slot has mostly had to carry the can for the team’s poor performances.
While pressure has continued to mount on the manager, many of the players have got away without a modicum of criticism.
Though Slot knows that the buck stops with him, and he has deserved much of the negative feedback coming his way, it was nice to hear him come out swinging on Friday, with an especially pointed message for Salah in particular.
“The standards are not only important in the gym,” he said, with The Times reporting that the sentence ‘lingered’ in the press room, before Slot added: “It’s also on the pitch. OK.”
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“You understand me? Without me saying anything?” the Dutchman later bolted-on, and given his answer was in direct response to a question about Salah’s comments, the inference, intended or not, was fairly clear.
There will no doubt be plenty that comes out from Salah’s side following his exit this summer, most of which will be aimed at painting Slot in the worst light possible, but that may overlook the fact that the head coach was right to drop him in December, and whatever the reason for it may be, Salah’s standards have not been at the expected level this term.
The Egyptian is far from being alone in that, but in talking about the drop-off from when he leaves, he has possibly failed to notice that it has already long-since begun while he is still at the club. That is not on Slot, it is on the players themselves.
Slot has to crack the whip more next season
There has been a little shift in Slot’s demeanour over recent days and weeks. Having been somewhat long-winded and bloated in his answers throughout the campaign, he is now getting to the point sharply and without fluff.
He clearly knows that he is still lucky to be in a job after the way the season has transpired, and is determined to fix that next season.
Rate Arne Slot’s second season as Liverpool head coach
Can anyone make a serious argument for higher than a C? 😶
That should be music to the ears of Liverpool supporters, and though there will be some worries over the noises about standards, days off and all the rest of it, Slot seems like a man ready to crack the whip on his players.
The 47-year-old has it within himself to lead this group of players to titles, he has already shown that. And though something has obviously changed this season, supporters need to start looking to the players themselves rather than the head coach specifically.
Salah was right in that things need to be better next season, but Slot is seemingly ready to make that happen. Now it is on the players to take some accountability, stop hiding behind the manager and show that they are still capable of becoming champions once again.
Salah will not be a part of that, but instead of suggesting that he alone is the only thing holding this club and its standards together, he – and his teammates – should take a look in the mirror.
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