Mohamed Salah sends clear Liverpool message as Arne Slot comment leaves just one question

When he declared after Liverpool's 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford that no one had spoken to him about a new contract at Anfield, Mohamed Salah broke away from his usual norm.

It is rare that Salah does interviews, often politely declining requests from the assembled media post-match with a cheeky smile, and it is normally his soccer that does the talking for him. Against Arsenal, that was definitely the case again.

By finding the back of David Raya's net when he was teed up by Darwin Nunez, Salah not only ensured that his team went back to Merseyside with a vital point, but he also moved into joint-eighth place in the all-time Premier League top scorers list, joining Robbie Fowler on 163. Before the 2024/25 season is out, he could overtake Frank Lampard and Thierry Henry.

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In the process, Salah also moved one goal away from Roberto Firmino's Liverpool club record of 11 league goals against Arsenal. It is no exaggeration to say that in almost every game he plays, the Reds' number 11 breaks some sort of record or sets some kind of statistic.

"But that's not only all," Arne Slot said in his post-match press conference. "It's also that he's also available for us as well. I think that's one of the things that top players have - that they are always available and they show up in the big games.

"And I think today was a big game for us again, just like last week against Chelsea, where he showed up with a goal and an assist also. That's also what you need if you are a big club - like we are and like Arsenal is - then you need these quality players because if you don't have them, it's going to be quite difficult to get your results.

"It's something you need to have as a club to have these players that can make the difference for you, and Mo was that today offensively. Although I think we have to give credit to Darwin [Nunez] and to Trent [Alexander-Arnold] as well in that goal."

Salah didn't stop to chat after this game, and there was no message sent about his contract situation post-match, but once again - on the field, when it mattered the most - it was he who stepped up and delivered.

In scoring the goal that earned his side a point and kept the gap to Arsenal in the table, Salah showed once more that he is the Liverpool talisman - and it is clear from his comments just how much Slot values him too.

He now has eight goals and seven assists in 13 appearances this season. Salah has more goals for Liverpool so far in this campaign than anyone else and more assists too for good measure. If those aren't numbers worthy of a contract extension, then what are?