'That's the man that he is' - Curtis Jones reveals Mohamed Salah apologised to Liverpool team-mates after 'thrown under the bus' rant

After being named on the bench for the third game in a row as Liverpool twice threw away the lead to draw 3-3 with Leeds, Salah gave an explosive interview in the aftermath of the game at Elland Road.

The former Roma and Chelsea winger said it was “very clear somebody wanted me to get all the blame” and also claimed his relationship with manager Arne Slot had broken down.

He said: “I can’t believe it, I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season.

“I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am on the bench for three games, so I can’t say they keep the promise. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship. 

“I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.”

However, after being omitted from the side which earned a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League, Salah returned to the Liverpool fold in last Saturday’s 2-0 league victory over Brighton.

Replacing the injured Joe Gomez, the 33-year-old recorded the assist for striker Hugo Ekitike’s second goal of the game as Liverpool returned to winning ways at Anfield.

Reds boss Slot has since tried to assuage concerns over his relationship with Salah, saying there is “no issue to resolve” and that it was an “easy decision” to bring him on as a substitute against Brighton.

And with Salah having now joined up with the Egypt squad ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations starting on Sunday, the Dutchman reiterated all parties have “moved on” from the extraordinary interview.

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Echoing his manager’s thoughts, Liverpool ace Jones insists he and his team-mates do not hold a grudge against Salah, who - according to the England international - held his hand up in the dressing room following his remarks.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Jones said: “Mo is his own man and he can say his own stuff. He apologised to us and was like, 'If I've affected anybody or made you feel any sort of way, I apologise'. That's the man that he is.

“I can only speak from me knowing Mo and how he is with us and how he acted on that. He was positive as well. He was the exact same Mo, he had a big smile on his face and everybody was exactly the same with him. I guess it's just part of wanting to be a winner and I don't think he will be the last.

“I get that there are certain ways you can go about things, but if a lad's fine to just be on the bench and he doesn't want to play and help the team, then I think that's more of an issue.

“When there's been any sort of anger from us, including myself, it's always been from a good place. In the moment, it might not have come out in the right way, but it's never been to affect the team, the staff, the manager, anybody like that. We're past that now and we're gelling well as a team, playing well and starting to win games.”

Like Salah, Jones also conducted an emotional interview following the 4-1 defeat by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on 26 November, describing Liverpool’s form as “unacceptable” and saying he was “past being angry”.

“I'm a Scouser, I know how much it means to the city and fans and the club and staff around here," the 24-year-old said. “It's probably the first time I've been in a situation like this. There were a few reasons why I came out and spoke. I was just honest. I will say what I think, and at times it will rub [people] up the wrong way.

"I was angry but it was a shock at the same time. It was positive to see how the lads all acted. They didn't blame Mo, didn't blame the manager, didn't blame each other or anything like that. It was just taking it on ourselves.

“I say that with obviously the fans and the stuff with Mo that it's not affected us in any sort of way. It affected our minds in needing to win, but nobody has blamed anybody and I think that's the important thing.”

Jones will be hoping to help Liverpool secure all three points when they travel to Tottenham in the league on Saturday evening. Since his comments after the heavy defeat against PSV, the academy graduate has helped his boyhood club put together a five-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Salah is poised to start when Egypt face Zimbabwe in their AFCON opener next Monday. The Pharaohs will also take on South Africa on Boxing Day and Angola on Monday, 29 December in Group B, with the tournament taking place in Morocco.