The truth behind Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s training-ground ‘incident’ has emerged.
Liverpool fans’ focus on their crucial Champions League last-16 second leg at home to Paris Saint-Germain was briefly interrupted on Monday when footage of Salah and Alexander-Arnold having to be separated surfaced online. The Reds duo, who could both leave Anfield this summer at the end of their respective contracts, appeared to be arguing about something, with Alexander-Arnold noticeably unimpressed.
A video of their interaction was recorded and released online, as UEFA allow the media outlets to have access to the first 30 minutes of a team’s session the day before a European fixture. Liverpool hold a 1-0 lead over PSG thanks to a late smash-and-grab victory in Paris last week but they’ll need Salah and Alexander-Arnold to be at their best in order for safe passage into the quarter-finals.
Liverpool fans don’t need to worry about a potential bust-up between the pair, as details of the so-called incident have been revealed.
The Liverpool Echo, who attended the training session, report that Salah and Alexander-Arnold’s interaction was merely light-hearted ribbing between two close team-mates. The pair were also seen laughing and joking after training, with both expected to be named in Arne Slot’s starting lineup against PSG.
Salah, 32, has previously described himself as Alexander-Arnold’s ‘big brother’ while the 26-year-old recently named the Egyptian as his closest team-mate. Alexander-Arnold told Stadium Astro: “Just how long we’ve known each other and how long we’ve played together, our bond and connection, especially on the pitch.
“Even though we could so many times, we never moan at each other. We just know each other’s style of play.”
They’ll be hoping to combine on the pitch when Liverpool host the Parisians under the lights at Anfield. Slot told reporters at his pre-match press conference that his team will need to produce their best performance of the season. “I do think so because this is the most complete team we’ve faced so far,” the Reds boss explained.
“What I mean by complete – and okay, we’ve faced Arsenal and [Manchester] City and it’s not that there are big margins – but the intensity they’ve played at combined with the quality they have… they have so much quality and a great, great, great manager.
“He lets the team play in a way that is not easy to play against his team; he brings the best out of every player and he brings an incredible work-rate into the team. That’s why I think we have to be at our best tomorrow.
“But, for example, we didn’t have ball possession at all at City away but at home we had a completely different performance against City than we did away.
Credit: Mirror UK
