Arne Slot addresses Mohamed Salah Liverpool upset at being dropped - 'I hope he is not'

Arne Slot will only become concerned about Mohamed Salah if he accepts losing his place with a smile as he backed the Liverpool hero to get back on the goal trial

Arne Slot is adamant Mohamed Salah still has the "fire" to play for Liverpool - and will only become concerned once the winger accepts being dropped. Salah was benched for the Champions League clash at Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday and missed several chances to score during his late cameo as the Reds romped to a 5-1 win.

The Egyptian cut a disgruntled figure after the final whistle and was among the first Liverpool players down the tunnel after acknowledging the away support.

Salah infamously had a similarly unhappy reaction when restricted to a rare substitute appearance at West Ham United during the closing weeks of Jurgen Klopp's reign 18 months ago.

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And while a groin injury to Alexander Isak means Salah is almost certain to be recalled for Saturday evening's Premier League clash at Brentford, Slot has no qualms over the 33-year-old being upset at not starting.

"I hope he is not ever going to take it well, because the moment you are going to take it well then you miss the fire," said the Liverpool boss.

"That goes for every player, by the way. Not only Mo. The moment you start to accept that you are not playing anymore and you are fine with that, then you miss the fire that is needed to play at this level."

Slot added: "My experience in general is that it's quite hard for a player to understand why he's not playing. They all see football through their eyes, and again that's a good thing.

"If you go over to all 20 players now to name a line-up, I'd be surprised if there's one player who doesn't put himself in.

"That's not to say that they don't understand we have more than a few good players here and once in a while somebody isn't playing.

"But if we have to play a Champions League final tomorrow and you ask them to make a line-up, I'd be surprised if one of them doesn't put themselves in - except maybe youngsters Rio (Ngumoha) or Trey (Nyoni)."

Another blank means Salah has now gone six Liverpool games without a goal and is approaching his longest such barren run of eight matches back in February and March of 2019.

Slot, though, has explained why he has every confidence the winger will soon rediscover the deadly form that has seen him notch a remarkable 248 goals in 413 appearances for the Reds.

"The way he trains, and when we do finishing drills, you cannot lose that," said Slot. "The only thing is we have to keep bringing him in to those positions and he has to bring himself into those positions.

"There are a lot of things that can happen when you get older. But if I can select one player who has the ball 12, 13 yards from goal and he should score that to save my reputation, I would have Mo in that position. Now he needs to show that he can get into those positions."

Isak is a major doubt for the clash at the Gtech Community Stadium having gone off at half-time against Frankfurt with a groin problem.

Jeremie Frimpong, who was substituted after 19 minutes due to a hamstring injury, is expected to be out for several weeks and has joined goalkeeper Alisson Becker and teenage centre-back Giovanni Leoni on the sidelines.

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