Arne Slot believes it was higher for Mohamed Salah to ‘save his energy’ after he was left on the bench for Liverpool’s 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain within the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Liverpool produced a dismal display in the primary leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie as goals in each half from Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia sealed the win for PSG.
Slot, meanwhile, opted to begin with a back five with Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez operating as wing-backs, while Salah was named as an alternative.
Liverpool didn’t register a shot on goal against PSG and with minimal opportunities to attack the Champions League holders, Slot opted to not call upon Salah within the second half.
When asked about his decision to maintain Salah on the bench against PSG, Slot said: ‘I believe within the last a part of the sport, it was more about surviving for us than there was ever a likelihood that we could rating.
‘Yeah, you never know, because last season we scored five minutes before the tip, Harvey Elliott, once I took Mo off, but I believe this was 20-25 minutes where we were only defending.
‘And Mo has a lot quality, but for Mo to be 20, 25 minutes defending inside his own box, I believe it’s higher for him to save lots of his energy for quite a lot of games which might be coming up within the upcoming weeks.’
Salah was seen doing extra running on the pitch on the Parc des Princes following Liverpool’s defeat and his attitude was praised by former England defender Stuart Pearce, who covered the sport for talkSPORT.
‘I’m also watching down here Mo Salah doing his running as well,’ Pearce said.
Champions League quarter-final results
Sporting CP 0-2 Arsenal
Real Madrid 1-2 Bayern Munich
Barcelona 0-2 Atletico Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Liverpool
‘He’s on the front of the running and sometimes this gets unnoticed. People say oh his attitude stunk when he come off. He done this, he done that.
‘If ever there’s a time where a players attitude goes to stink, it’s Mo Salah with six or seven games to go on his Liverpool profession not being brought on after they need a goal.
‘He’s got every opportunity for his attitude to stink and he’s on the market doing the running with the team the box to box work that they do after games.
‘So that you’ve got to commend him for that. I understand it’s his job. I understand that.’
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