Mohamed Salah hits out at ‘harsh’ Anfield reception for Trent Alexander-Arnold

Mohamed Salah has criticised the “harsh” reception that Trent Alexander-Arnold received astatine Anfield past Sunday and called for Liverpool fans to springiness the departing defender the sendoff 20 years of work deserves.

Salah admitted helium was amazed and saddened by the boos that Alexander-Arnold received from a ample conception of the Liverpool assemblage before, during and aft his substitute quality against Arsenal. It was the 26-year-old’s archetypal outing since announcing helium would beryllium leaving his boyhood club erstwhile his declaration expires astatine the extremity of the season, with a escaped transportation to Real Madrid lined up.

Liverpool players made wide their dismay astatine Alexander-Arnold’s attraction aft Sunday’s game. In an interrogation with Sky Sports, recorded this week successful Dubai, the Egypt planetary added his dependable to a contention that has threatened to overshadow the extremity of a triumphant play for the caller Premier League champions.

Salah said: “I told him [Alexander-Arnold] yesterday: ‘Do not springiness maine oculus interaction successful your farewell,’ due to the fact that I truly emotion him. He deserves the champion farewell leaving the club. He has done a batch for the metropolis and a batch for the club. He was astir apt the champion homegrown subordinate successful the club’s past and helium needed a caller challenge. He spoke to maine astir it. It is his decision, for sure.

“He is 26 years aged and a league rubric victor twice. What much could helium person done? He needs to alteration and situation himself. People bash not cognize astir it much, but helium is 20 years successful the club. It is truthful pugnacious mentally for idiosyncratic to beryllium 20 years successful a club. It is the spot you love, yes. I emotion the place. But going each time to the aforesaid place, mentally you could beryllium depressed. I truly privation him the best. I volition ever beryllium successful interaction with him. The fans person been harsh with him. He didn’t merit that due to the fact that helium gave it each to the fans.”

Asked if helium was saddened by events astatine Anfield past weekend, Salah replied: “Yes, absolutely. I was amazed due to the fact that it is not however we respond arsenic Liverpool fans. We shouldn’t respond this mode with anyone. We ever admit the radical who came here, adjacent if it was for six months. Imagine idiosyncratic who gave his each for 20 years. It shouldn’t beryllium similar this and I anticipation it volition alteration successful the adjacent crippled – Brighton oregon the past crippled of the play – due to the fact that helium deserves a farewell.

“It is his decision. I cognize 20 years astatine the nine is truthful tough. People deliberation it is casual to marque a determination and conscionable stay. No, it’s not. I didn’t privation to talk to him overmuch due to the fact that I privation him successful my team, but I recognize due to the fact that being successful 1 spot for 20 years is not easy.”

Unlike Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool’s starring goalscorer precocious committed himself to the nine for different 2 years. Salah admitted helium was lone 10% definite helium would motion a caller declaration astatine Anfield astatine the commencement of the play due to the fact that of the attack taken towards older players by the club’s owner, Fenway Sports Group.

He said: “I’m not attacking them, conscionable I cognize however they woody with players implicit 30 successful the past and I cognize however the concern volition be, truthful I ne'er expect that the nine was going to beryllium like: ‘OK, 2 years with the money, and each of america are happy’. So I didn’t expect that I’m going to stay. It’s successful my head, based connected nine philosophy, [that] I volition not stay. I cognize however the nine works, it’s not thing that is bad, it’s conscionable we spot however they woody with a concern similar this successful the past.

“I deliberation it took similar six months for negotiations to commencement going truly quick, and I deliberation from January it’s like: ‘OK, present things are getting amended and better.’ So it took a while. I deliberation the nine was investigating maine to spot if I tin inactive supply oregon not! I didn’t privation much than that [two years].”