Mohamed Salah returned to Arne Slot's Liverpool squad on Saturday afternoon to take on Brighton in the Premier League, despite a frosty assessment of his relationship with the manager last weekend
Mohamed Salah runs
Mohamed Salah bagged an assist on Saturday against Brighton(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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Mohamed Salah overtook Wayne Rooney's single-club goal involvements record during Saturday's clash between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion. The Egyptian started on the bench for the match for a fourth consecutive Premier League outing, after falling out of favour under Arne Slot.
However, midway through the first-half, the 33-year-old was called upon to replace a struggling Joe Gomez, as Liverpool fans inside of Anfield greeted him with an ovation. Already 1-0 up at the time thanks to Hugo Ekitike's first-minute opener, Salah assisted the Frenchman for his brace in the second-half to take his total number of single-club goal involvements in the Premier League to 277 (broken down into 188 goals and 89 assists).
The assist also saw him cruise past Rooney's longstanding record of 276 goal involvements, made up of 183 goals and 93 assists during his stint with Manchester United. However, he still remains third on the list in terms of multi-club goal involvements, with Alan Shearer's 324 and Rooney's 311 total at United and Everton still a way off.
It comes as Liverpool fans made their feelings clear on Salah's current situation crystal clear on Saturday afternoon. The Egyptian unleased a scathing assessment of his relationship with Slot in the wake of the Reds' 3-3 draw with Leeds United last weekend.
Tensions were already high ahead of kick-off, given the fact that it came as the third consecutive Premier League match that Salah had been demoted to the bench for. And in the aftermath of the match, Salah told reporters of his frustrations as he pulled no punches.
He said: "I don't know what to say. It's kind of funny, I couldn't believe it. It's a disappointing result for us as a team. We conceded silly goals. I could not help my team-mates because I am on the bench. I could not believe I was sitting on the bench for 90 minutes.
"That's the third time. It's the first time in my career I think. I am very disappointed, I have done so much for this club over years, especially last season, It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus.
Wayne Rooney applauds
Wayne Rooney enjoyed a goal-laden career with Manchester United
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"That's how I feel it. Someone wants me to get all the blame. The club promised me a lot in summer. Now, I'm on bench, so I can say they haven't kept those promises.
"I used to have a good relationship [with Slot]. Now we don't have any relationship and I don't know why. [It] seems like someone does not want me in the club."
Elsewhere, Salah also hinted that the Brighton match could be his last game as a Liverpool player, despite only signing a contract extension with the club earlier this year. He added: "I called my mum and dad and told them to come to the Brighton game.
"It doesn't matter if I play or not. I'm going to enjoy it. I am just going to be at Anfield and say goodbye to the fans before the Africa Cup of Nations, because I don't know what is going to happen when I am there.
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"It's not acceptable to me to be fair. If I was somewhere else, every club would protect its players. Now it's, 'Throw Mo under the bus because he is a problem in a team'. I don't think I am a problem.
"I am not fighting for my position every day because I have earned it. I am not bigger than the club. I am not bigger than anything. But I have earned it."
Salah is now set to team-up with his national team-mates to take part in AFCON, which runs until mid January. And with the January transfer window right around the corner, it is unknown whether or not the forward, who has dedicated the last eight years of his career to Merseyside, will remain with the club come February 1.
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