Arne Slot clarifies 'not weak' stance after Mohamed Salah Liverpool bombshell

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Echo or go back to LFC Live.

Liverpool Echo IconSportFootballLiverpool FCLiverpool return to Anfield this afternoon after a dramatic week sparked by Mohamed Salah's remarkable post-match interviewIf the cool and calm nature of Arne Slot has given little indication of the turbulence behind the scenes where Mohamed Salah is concerned, the decision to drop the Liverpool star from the squad that beat Inter this week revealed all.Slot, as he briefly explained in his pre-match press conference on Monday night, shouldn't have his kindness taken for weakness and while the decision to remove Salah from the party that travelled to Milan was taken by the club itself, it was one that the head coach was in full support of.The controversial nature of the Egyptian's bombshell interview in the Elland Road mixed zone, where he accused Liverpool of having him "thrown under the bus" led to his dropping from the squad that secured a vital 1-0 win over the Nerazzurri on Tuesday.READ MORE: BREAKING Mohamed Salah returns to Liverpool squad after Arne Slot talksREAD MORE: 'I haven't said this before' - Arne Slot makes candid admission on Mohamed Salah Liverpool rowFor a manager who is aiming to strike upon the right formula for a period that will see Salah away with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, following today's visit of Brighton & Albion, it bodes well that his side came away from San Siro with maximum points.It's understood the third highest goalscorer in Liverpool history will now be involved against the Seagulls, after positive talks between player and coach were held at the training base on Friday afternoon.But whatever the future holds for Salah beyond the AFCON, Slot is insistent he cannot have his authority undermined in the way the superstar did with his outspoken interview."But what I meant [by being kind, not weak] was I am not afraid to take decisions that I think I have to take," Slot said, who was speaking before his conversation with Salah."Can players sense weakness? But you don’t have to show strength or weakness when it doesn’t help the team."It would not be smart to be like: 'Oh, I am so strong and I am not afraid to take big decisions’, if that doesn’t help the team."It is not my idea to show I can take, even if it was a strong decision or a hard or difficult one, but definitely I have been in dressing rooms and they are constantly checking the decisions you make."And I have to make 40-50 a day I think, if not more.

But players, like pundits and journalists, hardly ever know everything that happens and I have heard a lot about this whole situation."One of the things the pundits have said is that we might not know everything and who knows if that is true."Slot added: "I know how much I spoke to him. It’s up to others to decide, if they knew, if that was enough.

If it would have been 250 hours was 250 hours enough?"I know how much the two of us spoke, not only in the week before West Ham or before Sunderland or before Leeds but also in recent weeks and months."