Arne Slot reacts to ‘shadow’ Salah missing penalty for Liverpool – ‘Sums us up’
Arne Slot admits Mohamed Salah’s missed penalty in Liverpool’s humbling defeat to Manchester City on Saturday “summed up” his side’s performance.
Salah had the opportunity to score a consolation for the Reds at the Etihad after an Erling Haaland hat-trick and a goal from Antoine Semenyo saw Pep Guardiola’s side romp to a 4-0 victory in the FA Cup quarter-final.
After Salah announced during the international break that he would leave Liverpool at the end of the season, he missed two further presentable opportunities before seeing his spot kick saved by James Trafford.
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Asked if Salah’s miss summed up his own poor performance, Slot said after the game: “I wouldn’t focus on one player, I would focus on the team and that probably sums up us today but also maybe large parts of the season.
“I think it is the second one he missed and Dominik Szoboszlai also already missed a penalty so it’s not only that we miss big chances, this season we have missed a few penalties. In the first half there was a chance for Mo when we played the fast counter attack.
“Unfortunately that didn’t go in and you have to score goals if you want to have a chance to win the game.”
Ally McCoist “didn’t fancy” Salah as the Liverpool “shadow” stepped up to take the penalty.
Speaking on TNT Sports, he said: “I didn’t fancy him. I didn’t fancy him at all. It’s a shame because he looks a shadow of the man that has lit up this league and lit up this country.
“It’s a shame he’s going out this way. He doesn’t look like a confident man or a confident player at this moment in time.”
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Slot revealed what was missing from his side and bemoaned the 20 minutes in which City scored all four goals.
He said: “What has been missing for large parts of the season, converting our chances into goals. I think it was an even game up until they scored the penalty and the last time we played here we conceded just before half-time and again today.
“We get a penalty and we get a chance but that doesn’t tell me anything. The first 35 minutes was the sort of team I would like to see but the 20 minutes after that, we have to defend so, so much better than we were doing today.
“Not nice to go in at 2-0 just before half-time, not helpful for your mood especially after the season we have had. That was really hard to take. The only good thing was that we didn’t concede more.”
