Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones insist Mohamed Salah row not affecting squad

By Carl Markham, Press Association

Liverpool team-mates Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones accept Mohamed Salah has the right to make his own decisions about his future, but insist his comments have not impacted personal relationships within the dressing room.

Speaking after Tuesday’s 1-0 Champions League win at Inter Milan, the similarity of the duo’s responses suggested a previously-agreed stance in an attempt to reduce the fall-out from the Egypt international’s criticism of head coach Arne Slot and his perceived treatment by the club.

However, taking into consideration the committed and resilient performance against an Inter side who had not lost in 18 European home games, it would seem the squad are doing their best to compartmentalise the row.

Szoboszlai – probably Salah’s main confidant among the players – walked a carefully-balanced line when asked about the situation.

“I’m very close with him. It’s him and his own choice with what he is doing with his own life and his own career,” said the Hungary captain, who benefited from Salah being left at home by being given the responsibility of scoring the 88th-minute penalty at San Siro.

“It’s nothing to do with the players, I guess, so nothing to say about it.”

Salah alleged on Saturday evening that he had been “thrown under the bus” in relation to the team’s run of poor results from September to November – a period during which he scored just twice – and questioned whether he had a future beyond this weekend’s home match against Brighton ahead of his departure for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Asked whether he wanted Salah to stay, Szoboszlai replied: “It’s not our decision, as players.

“I love him as a human being, as a friend of mine. As a player, he has done so much for this club. It’s going to be the club’s and his decision.”

Jones, who impressed on the left side of a midfield diamond as Slot changed his formation to incorporate twin strikers Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak, denied Salah’s remarks had changed the atmosphere in the dressing room.

But he said the win, making it four matches unbeaten, had definitely provided a much-needed confidence boost after Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds was followed by the Egyptian going public with his frustrations.

“Mo is his own man,” the midfielder said. “I can’t really speak on another man and his business. Everyone knows how much of a legend Mo is.

“If you go and win a game, it’s always the best feeling. We have just won an important game against a great team. The mood is high.”

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker fully backed Slot at a pre-match press conference, and Jones echoed those sentiments when asked if the squad was behind the Dutchman.

“We always are,” he said. “He is human, at the end of the day. If we get beat in games, it affects him. It affects us all, too, the same way it affects fans.

“He is a positive man, he always makes a change. The style of play has changed a bit.

“He is as hungry as ever, exactly the same with us. He is there with us and we are there with him as well.”