Virgil van Dijk already hinted at his position on Mohamed Salah just days before controversy erupted

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

Mohamed Salah has chosen to begin a war with Liverpool at the worst possible moment after being left on the bench during Saturday’s draw with Leeds United.Arne Slot chose to leave the Egyptian out for the third match in succession, even failing to bring him off the bench at Elland Road.This proved to be the final straw for Salah, who launched an astonishing and unhelpful attack on both Slot and Liverpool themselves at full-time.Join our newsletter for news & smart analysis. Who do you think should go, Salah or Slot? 👇 Join the debate; share your insight.

Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say It remains to be seen how the Liverpool squad will react to one of their real leaders speaking out so publicly in such a way, but Salah’s comments suggest there is not total dressing room harmony.Above all, fans will be looking out for the position of captain Virgil van Dijk. And, as it turns out, the Dutchman made some claims about Salah in the lead-up to the Leeds match which now look even more interesting.Virgil van Dijk wants Mohamed Salah to stay at LiverpoolFollowing his suggestion that next Saturday may be his final game for the club, journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Salah could leave Liverpool in January.This had not especially felt like a possibility before the weekend, but Romano also reported some comments from Van Dijk on Thursday which suggested that the captain may have known this was coming.Photo by Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty ImagesREAD MORE: Danny Murphy gives damning reaction to Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool eruption as tide turns on Reds legend“Salah is still a fantastic player, we still have to remember there is a reason why he has been so successful at the club and we have to respect that,” Van Dijk said.“I need him around as one of the leaders.

Pundits have their say on Salah’s outburst Pundits react to Mohamed Salah outburst 👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say Will Liverpool players issue a public response?Given the derailing nature of Salah’s decision to speak so candidly about his feelings, it feels like a response from Liverpool is needed.Whatever shape that takes we shall soon find out, but the club – or those within it – have to do something.That is unlikely to stretch to the players, however, who will be expected to keep their counsel on Salah’s outburst.As captain, it will be Van Dijk’s responsibility to navigate matters behind closed doors from a player’s perspective, and while he is the most public-facing of the squad, he is unlikely to speak on the matter immediately.With Liverpool playing again on Tuesday, however, the questions are going to be impossible to ignore ahead of the trip to play Inter Milan.