Fresh from beating West Ham United at the London Stadium, Liverpool will be back in action against Sunderland midweek, returning to Anfield with some more confidence from a morale-boosting win.
Mohamed Salah, who didn't play a minute on Sunday, dominated the agenda as Arne Slot previewed the next game, with the Reds boss saying he reacted well to being left out. This is every word the Liverpool head coach said on Tuesday morning.
Salah's reaction to being dropped: "That is a fair assumption (to be disappointed not to start) and a normal reaction from a player that is good enough to play for us, and I say it mildly because he has been so outstanding for this club for so many years and will be for us in the future.
"Of course, a player is not happy he isn’t playing. He was not the only one who wasn’t happy he wasn’t starting, I can tell you – and that’s normal. But the way he behaved is what you would expect from the professional he is. He was very supportive for his teammates, handled himself really well during the day and yesterday in the session as well.
"You cannot be a player that’s available every three days and play at those high standards if you go with your emotions but Mo is so disciplined, knows what he has to do to stay fit. No matter if he plays well, doesn’t play or if he doesn’t play he will always be that top professional and that is what he’s been in the last few days."
Same team again vs Sunderland, or need for rotation? "I haven’t felt so much about that because yesterday we had recovery and we are going to train so let's see how players feel.
Florian Wirtz brings the ball down while playing for Liverpool against West Ham.
Florian Wirtz impressed for Liverpool against West Ham. (Image: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
"Florian has missed one-and-a-half to two weeks of training, so for him to already play so many minutes was a good thing. Joe Gomez another one. It was encouraging to see Florian playing that well but it's not the first time, maybe the first time other people noticed but I've seen him playing for us well many times already, and to see Alex score his first goal was also very positive.
"He was also a player who could not play five to 10 minutes more than he played because he told me yesterday he felt a bit of cramp coming up so another player where we should see how he does when he trains today."
Is there a date for Mohamed Salah to depart for AFCON? "We have. It is the 15th of December but as always in these situations, there is a player, there is the nation involved Egypt in this situation, and the club and we always talk about what is best for all three of us."
Is the December 15 date set in stone? "I think the way we have worked is that there is always communication between all three: the player, the club and the country so that is nothing new. That is always the same, also when they come back and when they go, but I think FIFA said the 15th is the last date the player has to be released."
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Mo not super-human: "Fortunately for the time I have been here I didn’t have to remind you of that because he has been a superhuman being. But all players around the world there are also phases at the club when you are human, but he scored so many goals for us and I am sure he will in the future."
Can Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Joe Gomez play three times in a week? "I think they are not able to play three times 90, that's for sure, and now I have to wait and see how they feel today and if they are able to play from the start again but all three can be involved in all three games if they don’t get an injury, that is a fair assumption to make."
Injury latest on Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong: "Conor got into a training session yesterday for the first time, team training. He's not everything 100 per cent yet so we have to manage that a little bit, so don't get your hopes up too soon, too fast.
"The good thing is he does certain things with the group already. We expect the same with Jeremie next week. The two of them will come back but, unfortunately, we play a lot of games in the upcoming weeks. Jeremie, at least, will be training with us but he will miss out on at least three more games, for example. I hope Conor will be available for Leeds."
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 30: Alexander Isak of Liverpool celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 0-1 with team mates during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Liverpool at London Stadium on November 30, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Izzy Poles - AMA/Getty Images)
Online abuse and difficulty of facing criticism: "That was probably not after a win, after the City game? Maybe I expected more after the Forest game...
"Abuse is never a good thing, if it is about players or managers. That we are criticized is normal but if it is starts with abuse it is not a good thing but I am not a social media person, I don’t have an account. But I am aware of it. Abuse is definitely not a good thing but what I notice is the support of the fans within the stadium, that is the support I feel."
Joe Gomez's ability to come in and play well after so long out: "It is a skillset he has that after a long time not playing you can play him again and he just performs as he did before. That is not easy. It is definitely one of his skillsets. I also think it is really helpful that Dominik Szoboszlai helped him out a lot. Joe did really well but he got a lot of help as well."