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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot insisted that there is "no issue" to resolve with Mohamed Salah after the Egyptian made an impressive return to action against Brighton in the Premier League.
Salah came off the bench in the first half when Joe Gomez picked up an injury and performed well, a week on from his explosive interview in the mixed zone at Elland Road.
"The reason he wasn’t in Milan was his interview and the question after that — and everybody has a different opinion — is should he be once, twice, three times, four times, four months or 12 years?" Slot said in his post-match press conference.
"Every manager makes different decisions on that. He wasn’t involved in the game against [Inter] Milan; I spoke to him the day before the game.
"I never speak about what I talk about with players, and I am not going to make an exception now, but actions speak louder than words.
"He was in the squad again. When I had to make my first substitutions, I brought him in, and he performed as every fan wanted him to, including me, would like him to perform."
At the final whistle, Salah did a lap of the pitch with a big smile on his face. Clearly pleased with the result and how he had played, the 33-year-old cut a relaxed figure and it didn't have the feel of him being on the way out.
"He wasn’t the only player who walked around the pitch thanking the fans, as our fans deserved that," Slot said. "Our players worked incredibly hard to keep a clean sheet and for the first time in months, we had a bit of luck with that as well.
"We have had games where we have not conceded a chance but conceded three goals. Today we conceded chances, but they didn’t go in.
"Mo is going to go to the AFCON now. I hope he is going to do very well, and in the meantime, we have to do without him without that many players available, but the good thing is we play Saturday and again Saturday.
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"He is a Liverpool player and when he is here, I like to use him when we need him. Today he didn’t start as he did for a few games before, but in the one and a half seasons before, he started almost every game.
"He had the performance like you would want him to give. He was close to another assist; he was shocked to see Virgil [van Dijk] next to him in that long sprint; he was close to scoring when Fede [Chiesa] assisted him.
"He was a threat, which is very important. When you play with attackers, you hope he is a threat to the other team. Hugo [Ekitike] and Florian [Wirtz] were that also."
"For me, there is no issue to resolve," Slot added. "He is the same as any other player. You talk to your players if you are happy or unhappy with things. There is nothing for me to talk about after what happened against Leeds after the game."
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