Hugo Ekitike reveals Liverpool dressing room view on Mo Salah controversy

Hugo Ekitike has hailed Mohamed Salah as a “great professional” after he returned to the Liverpool team on Saturday, Felix Keith reports for The Mirror.

Salah was introduced as an early substitute against Brighton, a day after holding talks with Arne Slot following a falling out between the two over his explosive comments last weekend.

Salah made his comeback with Liverpool during their 2-0 win over Brighton on Saturday and Hugo Ekitike benefited from an assist from his team-mate at Anfield.

Having been an unused substitute in the 3-3 draw at Leeds, Salah unloaded to reporters, accusing Slot of throwing him under the bus, while saying he no longer had any relationship with the Liverpool manager. He was subsequently left out of the squad that went to play Inter Milan on Tuesday, but was brought back for the Brighton game.

An injury to Joe Gomez saw Slot turn to Salah in the 26th minute and he responded with an assist in a 2-0 win. It was Ekitike who benefited from his pinpoint corner, having already put Liverpool ahead in the first minute.

And the Frenchman was clear in his assessment of his team-mate post-match. “Mohamed is a great, great professional,” he said. “I look to him as an example. You can see how much he is involved in goals and assists.

“He is a legend here. To share the pitch is a blessing. That’s the kind of player who makes us like to watch football.”

Ektike was unmarked at the back post to head in his second of the game in the 60th minute. It was Salah who swung in that corner and Ekitike added: “He gave me a great ball, I just had to be in a good place. It was easy to finish.

“I was looking for the hat-trick but it is going to be another time. It was good, two goals. We try to stick together and work together. Today wasn’t easy. We had to stay compact and stick together.

“I think we deserved it. We did a great week and let’s continue. When you play for Liverpool, you just have to win games. We are Liverpool, we need to win.”

Asked about Salah, Slot said: “I think he was a threat. The first ball he touched, he almost made an assist for [Alexis] Mac Allister. He was constantly involved in the fact we had Mo. Pleasing to see but not a surprise.

“It was an easy decision to put him in the squad. I have said many times before what has been said between us will stay between us. We needed him and he assisted for the 2-0 which is nice for us. We have been so many times this season on the wrong side of the set-piece battle.

“He goes to the AFCON and that means for us another player down. This is what we knew before the season started. Hopefully one or two players can come back from injury.”