Mo Salah’s Liverpool situation likened to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Man Utd exit in 2022 with Gary Neville sympathetic to club and player

Gary Neville says he sympathises with both Mohamed Salah and Liverpool amid their current dispute, likening the situation to Cristiano Ronaldo’s acrimonious exit from Manchester United in 2022.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot held talks with Salah on Friday to determine whether the forward would feature against Brighton on Saturday, his last chance to play for Liverpool this year before departing for AFCON with Egypt.

It has been decided Salah will be in the squad to play the Seagulls. He had been benched for three games in a row and was then left out of Liverpool’s squad for the midweek Champions League game at Inter Milan after his bombshell interview last Saturday threw his future at the club into doubt.

Salah aired his frustrations at being left out by Slot following a 3-3 draw at Leeds, where he was an unused substitute.

Three years ago, Ronaldo left United for a second time after hitting out at the club’s standards and criticising then-boss Erik ten Hag.

Neville understands why Liverpool supporters will have been upset by Salah’s behaviour, especially amid their poor run of form, but says the star-status of players cannot be overlooked – and Salah has deserved more game time in recent weeks.

“I see it from both sides,” he told Sky Sports News.

“I wouldn’t see it from an ordinary player’s side. But when you have this level of player that’s almost the best in the world, which I’d put Mo Salah up there with, you sometimes… not have to accept what he’s done because Cristiano Ronaldo did it [at United] and I didn’t take to it too kindly at all because I think those players have an expectancy to bring everybody along with them.

“But it is not unusual behaviour for a player of that level of quality and talent. They often have a different outlook on things.

“It’s easy for me when it’s at Liverpool because I can sit back and relax a little bit. I wouldn’t like it if it was at my club Manchester United and I didn’t a few years ago when Cristiano did it and he went and did the big interview.

“I thought it was wrong, I thought the timing was wrong and the way it was delivered was wrong, so I can see why Liverpool fans would be upset.

“But I was doing the game [against Leeds], I thought [Salah] should have come on the pitch, I said it on commentary.

“I can see why he was upset but I can also see it from Liverpool’s perspective – they feel let down and that he’s put a lot of attention on them that wasn’t needed in a moment of challenge and difficulty.”

“If it was a player that didn’t have the level of talent, experience or success of Mo Salah I think they’d be kicked out pretty quickly,” Neville continued.

“But when you’re that exceptional and that talented and have the presence of a great player you don’t accept being put on the bench and not being put on.

“I played with players who were exactly the same and left the club as soon as that was the case.”

Slot: I have no reason to not want Salah to stay

Slot was quizzed on his personal desire about Salah’s future at Anfield and the head coach also clarified the decision-making process behind omitting Salah from Tuesday’s win in Milan, which was made jointly between himself and the club.

He said: “[Who decides] if he’s in the squad, yes or no? We’ve decided as a club, I was part of that decision not to take Mo to Inter Milan.

“I’m always in conversation [with the Liverpool board], but when it comes to the decision making of the squad or the line-up that is always left to me.

“That’s not to say I don’t talk to Richard [Hughes]. I talk to Richard about many things. But to play a player is entirely up to me.”

Asked specifically if he wanted Salah to stay, Slot replied: “I have no reasons not to want him to stay. This club has won a lot of games with him.”

‘Slot taking heat out of a drama he could have done without’

SSN reporter Vinny O’Connor at the AXA training centre:

“‘I have no reasons not wanting him to stay here,’ was as far as Arne Slot would go regarding his current position on the Mo Salah situation.

“And there’s evidence to back that up in the actions Slot is planning to take. Why else would he be meeting with Salah today after various conversations between the player’s representatives, the club and Slot himself.

“Surely, if the manager was ready to cast Salah aside, there would be no need for a further conversation.

“Where Slot did stop short was by refusing to disclose whether or not he needed an apology from Salah.

“The underlying theme of the news conference appeared to be a manager trying to take the heat out of a drama he could have done without. That heat will die down further with Salah off to AFCON once the Brighton game is out of the way.

“Salah was at the training ground as normal today and whatever happens this weekend, Liverpool will then be without him until January at the very least.

“With Slot saying he doesn’t want him to go, what move will Salah make to ensure that doesn’t become a permanent arrangement?”

Merse: Liverpool owe trophy debt to Salah

Paul Merson has defended Mohamed Salah following his claims that Liverpool have “thrown him under the bus”, suggesting the club’s trophy cabinet would be a lot emptier without the Egyptian.

“I’m on Mo Salah’s side. I think he’s gotten too much stick.

“Maybe he shouldn’t have done what he did, but he’s a human being. He’s a winner. He’s a legend. The figures he’s put up on the wing – goals and assists – is off the charts. We’ll never see that again in my opinion.

“All he’s done is say he wants to play football. He’s got the hump because he’s not playing. How could you be slaughtered for that?

“There are other players in the team that could’ve been dropped and he’s probably thinking ‘we’re not very good and I’m not playing’. I just think it’s wrong.

“Liverpool wouldn’t have won anything if it wasn’t for Mo Salah. You take away his goals and assists and I don’t think there’s any trophies in that cabinet for a while.”