Mohamed Salah seemed to signal his desire for a new contract at Liverpool during a recent interview, indicating that no one at the club has approached him about renewing his deal. Following Liverpool’s commanding 3-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday — where he scored one goal and provided two assists for Luis Díaz — Salah expressed his uncertainty about his future at the club, commenting that “it’s my last year in the club”.
The 32-year-old striker revealed that he approached the game at Old Trafford as though it could be his last there, saying, “Nobody in the club has talked to me about contracts. It is not up to me, it is up to the club.” Speaking to Sky Sports, the Egyptian forward 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.”
In response to Salah’s comments, newly appointed manager Arne Slot declined to comment on the striker’s future, preferring to celebrate his current performance. “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.
During the Manchester United game, Salah’s stunning performance overshadowed some terrific gameplay by his teammates, leading Slot to say, “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.”
Two faults by Casemiro enabled Díaz’s goals in the game and resulted in the Brazilian being substituted at half-time. Contrary to some reports, United manager Erik ten Hag denied that he left the ground during the interval, stating that he saw Casemiro in the dressing room after the game.
The reason behind his substitution decision was attributed to the team’s 2-0 deficit against a strong contender like Liverpool, said the Dutch manager. To make a comeback, the team required players who could cover significant ground, thereby leading to Toby Collyer’s inclusion. He dismissed queries regarding whether the 32-year-old player was past his prime, asserting that everyone in football is accountable. Despite the player having an illustrious career, he anticipated continued contributions towards the team.
The coach explained how Manuel Ugarte’s transfer from Paris Saint-Germain as Casemiro’s replacement came too late for him to qualify for the match. Ugarte, who didn’t receive any game time during the season, would need to gradually adjust into the team and improve his fitness levels, he stated. There was no magic solution, unlike in a Harry Potter story. He also lavished praise on Josh Zirkzee for his recent progress, expressing satisfaction with his game performance.
With only three points from their opening three games and a goal differential of negative three, United is under scrutiny. However, Ten Hag refuted any parallels with past mistakes in his third season. He noted how his team had been successful in securing the most trophies after Manchester City in English football, despite the current defeat. He regretfully chose not to accentuate the positive aspects of the game. Source: The Guardian