Liverpool have a decision to make over the future of star player Mohamed Salah after he starred in their crucial win over Aston Villa to send them into the international break on a high
Arne Slot on Curtis Jones’ recent form
Liverpool are sitting pretty at the start of another international break.
The Reds are five points clear at the top of the Premier League following a near perfect weekend of results. Arne Slot’s side beat Aston Villa 2-0 on Saturday, just hours after Manchester City were beaten 2-1 at Brighton.
Things got even better on Sunday when fellow title rivals Arsenal dropped two points in a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Liverpool have won nine of their 11 matches under Slot in the league this season with six clean sheets.
It could hardly be going much better for Liverpool, who now have two weeks until they travel to the south coast to face bottom club Southampton. They will hope to have Trent Alexander-Arnold back fit by then after he went off injured against Villa. In the meantime, here are the latest headlines around the club.
FSG sent Salah message
Mohamed Salah was the undoubted star of the show on Saturday night, assisting Darwin Nunez’s opener before making the game safe on the counter-attack late on. He now has 14 goal involvements in the Premier League – more than any other player – and is, for some, the best player in the world right now.
This is all the more pertinent given that Salah’s current contract is due to expire in June. Salah is paid £350,000 per week at Liverpool, making him comfortably the top-earner at the club. There are some suggestions that Liverpool owners, Fenway Sports Group, cannot afford to hand out new deals to Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk.
If that’s the case, then the fans have made themselves clear via a banner on Saturday: “FSG, he fires a bow, now give him his dough”.
City target Zubimendi
Liverpool thought they had signed Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad in the summer, only for the Spain star to decide against the move. He stayed put in San Sebastian, but might have changed his mind.
Manchester City are reportedly chasing Zubimendi’s signature in the January transfer window, believing he’d be a good replacement for the injured Rodri. They have the funds available to trigger his €60million (£50m) release clause and believe he can be convinced to leave his hometown club.
Van Dijk highlights mentality shift
Virgil van Dijk believes that Liverpool have learnt from their mistakes last season and have the right mentality to go all the way under Slot.
“We’re only in November but I see us dealing with difficult moments pretty well,” he said. “We had a couple of games where we bounced back after going behind. The mentality of the boys to turn it around was amazing. Maybe towards the end of a season the pressure is higher. Then everyone has to be there and step up.
“I can’t predict how the last part of the season will go. But so far, so good. For me it’s quite easy to say, but I just want to enjoy it. Go out there, all of us are privileged and blessed to be playing for Liverpool and have players around you with so much quality. Let’s see what it brings.”
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