Arne Slot has brushed aside Mohamed Salah’s recent social media criticism, insisting that both he and the departing forward share the same ambitions for Liverpool.

The Liverpool head coach maintained that, even though 12 members of his squad liked Salah’s post, he still enjoys full support from his players.

Salah had remarked that Liverpool’s performance collapsed in their defeat to Aston Villa last Friday and called for a return to the high-intensity ‘heavy-metal football’ style made famous under former manager Jurgen Klopp.

Slot, who does not use social media, responded: “I’m not sure whether it had any impact on the squad, but from what I’ve seen, the group trained really well this week. We’re hoping to continue that momentum over the next two days so that we’re as well-prepared as possible.”

He continued, “What I focus on is how the players train, and I haven’t noticed any difference compared to the rest of the season. It’s been a good week, which is never easy after a setback like the Villa defeat, especially heading into the final week of the campaign. From experience, I know that’s usually not the simplest week, but the players trained very well and I expect the same in the coming days.”

Salah is expected to play his final match for Liverpool against Brentford on Sunday, with Slot’s side needing just a point to secure a top-five Premier League finish. The Dutchman emphasised that this challenge is far more crucial than any online opinions shared by the Egyptian forward.

He explained, “I don’t think my personal feelings about it matter much. What truly matters is securing Champions League qualification on Sunday and preparing Mo and the entire team in the best possible way. I was really disappointed after our loss to Villa because a win there would have sealed Champions League qualification. Now we have one more game to go, and it’s a vital one for the club.”

Slot reaffirmed that both he and Salah share a mutual disappointment over the season’s outcomes and remain aligned in their dedication to Liverpool’s success.

He added, “Mo and I are both working toward the same goal — we want what’s best for this club. We both want Liverpool to achieve as much success as possible. We were part of giving the fans their first league title again after five years, but we also recognise that we haven’t reached the same level this season. What he wants, what I want, is for the club to return to that level of success we had last season.”

Slot is also monitoring the fitness of goalkeeper Alisson and striker Alexander Isak ahead of the Brentford clash. Alisson has been sidelined for two months, while Isak, a £125 million signing, missed the Villa game due to a minor injury.

The coach confirmed: “Ali will train with us today [Friday], which is a positive sign. Alex will also take part in some training activities today, so in that sense, both developments are encouraging.”