Manager Arne Slot hailed the impact Mohamed Salah has had on Liverpool during his nine years at the club, and is hoping the Egyptian forward will win two more trophies with them before leaving.
Salah, who has scored 255 goals for Liverpool and helped them win two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, two League Cups and one Champions League trophy, announced last week he would depart at the end of the season. Slot said Salah was available for Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final clash at Manchester City.
“He trained with us yesterday and today, and he’s available for the game tomorrow,” he told reporters on Friday, heaping praise on the club’s third-highest goalscorer of all time. “It’s been unbelievable what he did for this club, for so many years, every three days, scoring the goals he did, having the assists, having the impact that he had on this club, winning the trophies… I can only hope that he can add two extra trophies to it towards the end of the season.”
Liverpool are fifth in the Premier League, 21 points below leaders Arsenal, but have reached the Champions League quarter-finals and face Paris St Germain away on Wednesday. Slot’s side are without first-choice keeper Alisson Becker as they enter the final two months of the season, with the Brazilian sidelined due to injury.
“Towards the end of the season we expect him to be fit,” Slot said. Striker Alexander Isak has rejoined the team after missing over three months due to a broken leg.
“It would definitely be too fast to expect him in the starting line-up. He’s trained with us yesterday for the first time… after exactly 101 days,” the manager added.
Liverpool have lost both Premier League games against City this season, but Slot said their improved performance in February’s 2-1 home defeat showed his team can be competitive against Pep Guardiola’s side.
“First half at Anfield, City dominated possession… how impressive was it that we dominated possession in the second half? Because how many teams can dominate possession against City?” Slot asked. “Now we have to show this as well in their stadium, which is more difficult than having 60,000 people at Anfield helping you.”