Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson have been told to speak to Mohamed Salah with a clear Liverpool deadline set
21:05, 10 Dec 2025Updated 23:37, 10 Dec 2025
Virgil van Dijk has been told to speak privately to Mohamed Salah with an aim to resolving the Liverpool saga(Image: (John Walton/PA Wire))
Steve McManaman has admitted he wants to see Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson speak to Mohamed Salah to resolve the awkward situation at Liverpool. The 33-year-old went on an explosive tirade after the 3-3 draw with Leeds United, in which he was an unused substitute.
Arne Slot omitted him from the squad that beat Inter Milan in the Champions League just a few days later, and it does not look as though the situation has resolved itself. As such, McManaman has stated it needs to be fixed immediately and called on two of Liverpool’s senior stars to step in.
“I think that’s the important part in the coming hours and days,” he told TNT Sports when asked how Liverpool sort the situation. “He leaves for AFCON on Monday and they’ve got Brighton at the weekend.
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“It would be nice if something is sorted out between now and Saturday.”
He later added: “It could be any of the players. He’s got relationships with Virgil van Dijk for the last eight years, and Andy Robertson for last eight years. Everybody’s close in that dressing room.
“I’d have a word with him if I’d known him for that long saying ‘Oi, this is not good for you and it’s not good for the team going forward.’
“This has to be nipped in the bud before he goes to AFCON. You can’t have six weeks of everyone thinking about rumours and innuendos: ‘what’s this’, ‘what’s that?’ ‘Will he come back in January?’
“This needs to be nipped in the bud now before he goes because it will not do anybody any good if it carries on over the next six weeks.”
Unsurprisingly, Salah was the dominant topic after the game despite not featuring. Slot had a clear verdict to issue while some Liverpool stars also spoke on the situation.
The Liverpool boss said on Amazon Prime Video Sport: “Well, you say everyone makes mistakes in life but the question is should the players also recognise that as well?
“And should the initiative come from the player or me? That’s another question. Ibou Konaté has had some difficult moments lately but he played an outstanding game [against Inter].”
“After PSV and Forest games, where we conceded seven goals in two games, it was time for us to concede less and that’s what we did against West Ham.
“Then we played Sunderland and their first chance came in the 86th minute. Their first goal wasn’t even a chance and then came Leeds.
Arne Slot was slammed by Salah in an extraordinary outburst(Image: (Photo by Piero Cruciatti/Anadolu via Getty Images))
“We showed character in the second half and changed the tactics a little bit.
“There was a lot of things been said. Normally, that affects players as well because he’s [Salah] been so influential for the club and the players so it’s never nice when something happens to their teammates.”
Van Dijk meanwhile, said: “It’s not up to me to say who should apologise. It’s [Salah] airing his feelings. The club has to deal with it and him as well.”
“It’s a collective situation. Things between Mo and the club are going on and he is obviously not here today helping us get three points.”
“I know Mo a long time. He is a friend. We have had highs and lows. We speak, those type of things will stay indoors. We have to brace ourselves and be against the outside noise.”