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A former Liverpool defender thinks that Mohamed Salah's comments at Leeds last weekend have actually pulled the squad closer together.
The week leading up to Liverpool's win over Brighton on Saturday was dominated by talk over whether Salah would ever play for the club again following his chat with reporters in the Elland Road mixed zone.
Salah was dropped from the squad that traveled to Milan in the Champions League in midweek, but was back on the bench against Brighton. An early injury to Joe Gomez saw Salah introduced in the first half, and he played his part in securing a much-needed top-flight win – Liverpool's first at Anfield since Nov. 1.
Speaking on BBC's Final Score, former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock suggested that Salah's comments might have actually had a positive effect on the squad.
"There's a microscope on the football club," Warnock said. "There has been a lot of talk around Liverpool and the response. The actual interview has spurred Liverpool on and made them a tighter-knit group. A siege mentality in the changing room.
"Two clean sheets on the bounce — that's vitally important. It is making sure that you know you're tough to beat."
Meanwhile, Salah took to social media after the win to share footage of him being serenaded by Liverpool's supporters following the final whistle.
Salah produced one of his brightest performances of the season against the Seagulls, and after full-time he stayed out on the field for longer than any of his teammates as he applauded the thousands of supporters who had stayed behind to sing his name.
The Egyptian posted footage of that brilliant moment on social media after the game, and Liverpool fans will now hope that draws a line under a matter which has dominated the Premier League news agenda for the last week.
Salah will now jet off to link up with his Egypt teammates ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, which will see him miss the remainder of Liverpool's games in 2025.
Considering Salah's jovial mood after the game, it seems likely that he will return to the Liverpool squad for the second half of the season rather than seek an exit after the continental tournament – there was certainly no sense that he was waving good bye to Liverpool's fans for good after the final whistle.
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