Arne Slot risks fresh Mo Salah row with pointed response to Liverpool 'standards' claim

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has risked the wrath of Mo Salah once again as the Egypt star prepares to leave Anfield in the summer.

Salah announced in March that he would be departing Liverpool via mutual consent at the end of this season, despite having another year left on his existing contract.

The 33-year-old's output in front of goal this season has been down on every other campaign he has been at Liverpool, with seven goals and six assists in 25 Premier League appearances.

He was dropped from the squad by Slot for a Champions League group stage match against Inter Milan after he publicly questioned the Dutch manager following December's 3-3 draw at Leeds.

And he will miss this weekend's home clash against Chelsea - one which could confirm Liverpool's spot in next season's Champions League, depending on results elsewhere - with a hamstring injury.

While it was initially feared that the injury might cause him the rest of the season, and therefore deny him an on-pitch farewell, it is now expected that he will play for Liverpool again.

Speaking to Sky Sports earlier this week, Salah suggested he had 'concerns' over the mentality of the Liverpool squad after he leaves the club.

"I want the guys to succeed here," he said. "I want the club to be there.

"And this is one of my main concerns. I spoke to a member of staff, I spoke also to guys up there. I told them, when I leave, you need an example here. You need people to come early to the gym and people look at them - 'Oh, he go to the gym, so I need to go'.

"If that didn't happen or doesn't happen, I think it will be tricky for the club, because it's something very, very important.

"You put the standard high, like people have to come early. People have to look after themselves and I don't want that to change after I leave or anything.

"I just want to have that standard at the club, because it's very important for the team to keep winning things and this is one of my main concerns for me."

Slot responds to Salah remarks

Given there appears to be no love lost between manager and player this season, particularly as the campaign has developed, it was no surprise to see that Slot directly responded to Salah in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

In quotes published after the nightly embargo, the Dutchman appeared to aim a pointed dig at the Egyptian winger with his answer.

"What Mo is saying is that standards are really important for a football club," he began.

"I cannot agree more with him. I did not hear him say that the standards are not okay now. Did you? I'm not worried about it, let's put it that way.

"I'm not worried that the standards will be lower next season than they were this season, or the season before or the season before. No. I'm not worried about it. At all.

Slot and Salah have had a tense relationship at times this season (Image: Getty)

"The standards are not only important in the gym. It's also on the pitch. Okay? You understand me? Without saying anything."

"I wish I was able to say what I feel at this moment, but I can't," he stated, when a reporter quizzed him on whether new players had sufficiently adapted to the standards required.

"As I said, I completely agree with him [Salah] how important these standards are. I think they are in a good place at the moment.

"I think it also makes sense that younger players - it doesn't have to be the new players, it can be the seven-year-old that comes from the academy. They usually get the example of players like Mo and others for them to understand and to know what it takes to play every three days at this level.

"I see, and I think, that our younger players have improved in this already."