Mohamed Salah appeared to plead for a new Liverpool contract by stating “nobody in the club” has discussed a fresh deal with him and saying “it’s my last year in the club” after orchestrating their 3-0 victory at Manchester United on Sunday.
The 32-year-old scored one and set up the other two for Luis Díaz as Erik ten Hag’s team suffered a damaging defeat. Salah said: “To be fair I was coming to the game [as if] it could be the last time [playing at Old Trafford]. Nobody in the club has talked to me about contracts. It is not up to me, it is up to the club.”
And talking to Sky Sports, the Egyptian added: “As you know, it’s my last year in the club. I just want to enjoy it, I don’t want to think about it. I feel I’m free to play football and let’s see what’s going to happen next year.”
When Salah’s words were put to Arne Slot, the new manager refused to be drawn on the forward’s future. “A lot of ifs but at this moment he is one of ours and I am really happy with him being one of ours and he played really well. I don’t talk about contracts,” Slot said.
“He was impressive, like [in] the first two games but if you talk about an individual, you don’t do justice to the other ones. All the attention goes to Mo and Lucho [Díaz] but that doesn’t do justice to the other nine and the ones who came in.”
Two Casemiro errors presaged Díaz’s goals and the Brazilian was taken off at half-time. Ten Hag denied a report that he departed the ground at the interval. “I met him after the game in the dressingroom,” the manager said.
“Why I subbed him was because we are 2-0 down and against an opponent like Liverpool with their qualities, we have to take risks because we want to come back so we need players who can cover ground and put Toby [Collyer] on the pitch.”
The Dutchman was asked if the 32-year-old is in decline. “In football everyone has to take responsibility. I am sure he is a great character – he has won everything in his career that you can imagine and I am sure he will keep contributing to our team,” he said.
Manuel Ugarte, bought from Paris Saint-Germain to succeed Casemiro, was signed too late to be eligible for the game. “We have to build him in the team, it will take time,” Ten Hag said. “It is not like Harry Potter, that is what you have to acknowledge. If you see Manuel Ugarte, he didn’t play in the season, not one match minute.
“We have to build his fitness and then I am sure he will be an important player. Josh Zirkzee made big steps in the last three or four weeks and I am very pleased with his performance today [at No 9].”
United have only three points from their first three games and a goal difference of minus three. In his third season, Ten Hag denied that his side are committing similar errors to previous ones.
“I don’t think [so], otherwise you wouldn’t win trophies as we would. I am sorry for you [questioner],” he said. “We won after [Manchester] City the most trophies in English football so I am sorry for you. I don’t want to talk about positives today. There are but we have to take this defeat.” – Guardian
