Mo Salah ‘sad and surprised’ at Liverpool fans as he defends Alexander-Arnold | Football | Sport

Mohamed Salah has urged Liverpool fans to stop booing Trent Alexander-Arnold following the defender’s announcement of his departure from the club. Salah is the first player to publicly criticise the supporters of the Premier League champions for their reaction during last Sunday’s draw against Arsenal. Speaking to Sky Sports about the boos directed at the Englishman, Salah expressed his disappointment: “Absolutely. I was surprised because it is not how we act as Liverpool fans.

“The fans have been harsh with him. He didn’t deserve that because he gave it all to the fans.” Salah is now calling on those Liverpool fans who targeted Alexander-Arnold to reconsider their stance towards the full-back, who is set to join Real Madrid on a free transfer. He continued: “We always appreciate the people who came here, even if it was for six months.

“Imagine someone who gave his all for 20 years. It shouldn’t be like this and I hope it will change in the next game – Brighton or the last game of the season – because he deserves the best farewell leaving the club. He has done a lot for the city and a lot for the club.”

Salah, who resolved his own contract situation by penning a new deal late in the season, even empathised with Alexander-Arnold’s decision to leave Liverpool at the age of 26, hinting that the player may have been grappling with mental pressures.

“He was probably the best home-grown player in the club’s history and he needed a new challenge. He needs to change and challenge himself. People do not know about it much, but he is 20 years in the club. He spoke to me about it.

“It is so tough mentally for someone to be 20 years in a club. It is the place you love, yes. I love the place. But going every day to the same place, mentally you could be depressed. He is 26 years old and a league title winner twice. What more could he have done? I really wish him the best.”

Salah then divulged his own uncertainty about staying at Anfield before he signed a new two-year contract at Anfield. When asked to evaluate his prospects of remaining at Liverpool 12 months ago, he responded: “Based on club history, 10 per cent.

“Because we know how the club – I’m not attacking them – just I know how they deal with the players over 30 in the past, and I know how the situation will be, so I’d never expect that the club was going to be like ‘okay, two years with the money, and all of us are happy’. So I didn’t expect that I’m going to stay.

“I know how the club works, it’s not something that is bad, it’s just we see how they dealt with a situation like this in the past. So, based on experience, you just judge a situation. I think it took like six months for negotiations to start going really quick.

“I think from January it’s like, okay, now things are getting better and better. So it took a while. I think the club was testing me to see if I can still provide or not!”