The public exchange between Jamie Carragher and Mohamed Salah took an unexpected turn when the pundit issued an apology after a period of sharp criticism. The row began with Salah predicting: “Tomorrow Carragher is going to go for me again and again and that’s fine,” and escalated when Carragher launched a stinging assessment of the forward and the situation around him.

The former England international criticised what he described as a sequence of remarks, calling them “disgraceful” and “choreographed.” He singled out the player’s defensive contributions and the impact on team-mates in harsh terms. “When we are talking about throwing people under the bus, he’s thrown every Liverpool right back under the bus for the eight years,” Carragher said of the defensively indifferent right winger. “Can you imagine playing behind him for eight years?”

Carragher also attacked the player’s wider reputation, adding: “You weren’t a big star before you came to Liverpool , you haven’t really won much for Egypt,” he scoffed. “No matter how big you are, you need help from your teammates, your manager and fans, it’s important that he remembers that.”

After 24 hours, Carragher returned to television and addressed the player directly. Looking down the lens of the camera in CBS Sports’ studio, Carragher said: “I apologise if I’ve upset you. I love you as a Liverpool player, but you just need to behave yourself off the pitch.”

The mood change coincided with Liverpool’s 1–0 win away to Inter in the absence of Salah. Carragher’s reaction to the result was effusive and heavily managerial in focus. “I was so desperate for Liverpool to win tonight, as I am every time they play, but more so for the manager for what he’s been through over the last few days,” the former centre back beamed.

“I don’t know him that well, have any real relationship with him, but he’s the Liverpool manager.

“We know what’s gone on and what was really telling was the supporters chanting his name in the first half when it was 0–0… they’re right behind their manager, even more so on the back of that result.

“It was a massive result, it’s a tough place to go and Liverpool needed that on the back of losing their last game at home in the Champions League to PSV .

“I’m happy for him more than anything. It’s been tough all season for him. As a manager, he has to do better in terms of getting more results with the squad of players he’s got, but that’s a huge result for him and the club. I’m over the moon for him.”

Arne Slot kept the focus on Liverpool’s result but left the resolution of the Mohamed Salah situation squarely with the player after the Reds’ 1–0 Champions League victory over Inter Milan.

Slot conceded “everyone makes mistakes” when pressed about Salah and said he had told the forward in a “short” conversation at training that he is “not weak”. Dominik Szoboszlai converted a late penalty in place of the Egypt international to secure the win.

The manager emphasised that recognition of an error and the initiative to move on are matters for the squad and the individual. He said: “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].”

Slot pointed to a change in trajectory after he left Salah out of the team, noting the results since that selection decision. “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,” he outlined. “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.

“We showed character in the second half and changed the tactics a little bit.”

On how public scrutiny affected the squad, Slot added: “There was a lot of things been said,” Slot added. “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.”

Captain Virgil van Dijk declined to assign blame and described the matter as collective. “It’s not up to me to say who should apologise,” Van Dijk said. “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.”

It is unclear whether the 33-year-old will be included in Slot’s squad ahead of the upcoming Premier League match with Brighton & Hove Albion, with Salah due to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations next week.

Mohamed Salah has been named on the shortlist for BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year while embroiled in a public dispute over recent selection decisions. The forward lamented the lack of respect shown to him after being named as a substitute in three straight Premier League games and claimed that he no longer had a relationship with Slot. Liverpool’s manager responded firmly by leaving his star forward at home for the midweek European trip, insisting that while he is a “polite,” he is “not weak.”

As Salah arrived at Liverpool’s empty training centre to conduct a solo session—and take some selfies—he learned he is one of six global sports stars up for recognition ahead of this month’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony. The shortlist includes Arsenal Women midfielder Mariona Caldentey, pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, U.S. athletics star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, baseball player Shohei Ohtani, and U.S. boxer Terence Crawford. The inclusion of Crawford came despite him being stripped of the WBC super-middleweight belt after allegedly failing to pay his sanctioning fees.

The World Sport Star prize has been part of the BBC Sports Personality ceremony since 1960, when Herb Elliott became the first recipient. Over the subsequent 65 years there have only been six footballing winners. A victory for Caldentey would make her the first female player to receive the gong. Salah, if successful, would join a short list of football greats who have taken the honour: Eusébio, Pelé, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.

The timing of the nomination has drawn attention because it coincides with an internal conflict that has seen a high-profile player publicly question his standing and travel arrangements with the club. The nomination underlines Salah’s global profile even as his relationship with his manager and his role in the team are the subject of intense examination.