Liverpool coach Arne Slot to hold talks with Mohamed Salah

(AP) — Liverpool coach Arne Slot said he was having talks with Mohamed Salah on Friday after the forward's explosive outburst threw his Anfield future into doubt.

Salah said last week that his relationship with Slot had broken down after being dropped for three straight games, and that he felt like “someone doesn’t want me in the club.”

The Egypt forward was then left at home when Liverpool traveled to Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Slot saying he did not know if Salah would play again for the club.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's Premier League game against Brighton, Slot said he was having talks with Salah and suggested there could be a way back into the team for the club icon.

“I will have a conversation with Mo this morning and the outcome of that conversation determines how it (the team) will look tomorrow,” Slot told a news conference. “What I need is a conversation with him and I think the next time I speak about Mo should be with him and not in here.”

Salah was an unused substitute for the 3-3 draw with Leeds last week and then gave an impromptu interview to reporters outside the stadium.

“It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame (for recent poor results),” he said.

Slot said those comments came after he already had discussions with the player.

“We’ve spoken a lot in the last week after the Sunderland game (on December 3). I think there have been a lot of conversations between his representatives and ours, our representatives and him, between him and me after the Sunderland game and today I will speak to him again."

Salah, who has four league goals in 13 appearances this term, was first dropped for the game against West Ham last month. He was then on the bench for the match against Sunderland and again at Leeds.

He has won two league titles and the Champions League with Liverpool. He is also the club's record scorer in the Premier League.

Salah is due to head off to the Africa Cup of Nations next week and said last week he did not know what would happen while he was away.

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