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.

Mohamed Salah posted an image of himself training alone on Tuesday morning while the Liverpool squad travelled to Milan for a Champions League meeting with Inter. The photograph, taken in Liverpool’s gym with Salah sitting in front of a mirror, carried no caption.

The post arrived amid a widening debate over comments Salah made after the 3–3 draw with Leeds United. Some supporters have defended the Egyptian, but many critics have argued that the nature and timing of his remarks have damaged a team already struggling this season. Fans have urged Salah to keep a low profile in the aftermath of his interview, believing that would help the club work towards a positive resolution.

As the squad left for the crunch game against Inter, Salah reported for training alone on Tuesday morning, and he took the opportunity to post a poignant picture to his followers on social media.

As Salah unloaded on Slot in the aftermath of the 3–3 draw with Leeds United, he gleefully admitted his comments were certain to elicit a response from club legend and prominent pundit, Jamie Carragher.

Forty-eight hours later, Carragher used Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football to reply. “I thought it was a disgrace what he did after the game,” Carragher said. “Whenever Mo Salah stops in a mixed zone, which he’s done four times in eight years at Liverpool, it’s choreographed with him and his agent to cause maximum damage and strengthen his own position.

“He’s chosen this weekend to do this now and he’s waited, I think, for a bad result for Liverpool.

“You can see the last-minute goal, Liverpool supporters, the manager, everyone involved in the club feels like they’re in the gutter at the moment and he’s chosen that time to go for the manager and maybe try and get him sacked.”

A heated Carragher concluded: “I think some of the criticism this season of Mo Salah has been excessive. I’ve said that publicly. But I will go after Mo Salah when he tries to throw my club under the bus off the pitch and just thinks about himself. I certainly will do that.”

The exchange has left supporters and pundits divided as Liverpool prepare for a vital European fixture.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has outlined how the squad is navigating the fallout after Mohamed Salah’s explosive interview and the manager Arne Slot’s public response. The goalkeeper described the group as trying to balance personal loyalties with the club’s needs.

“It is not an easy situation, but as a group we take as best as we can take,” Alisson explained. “We have the personal relationship with him, I have been playing with Mo since I came to Europe, one year in Roma, eight with Liverpool .

“He is a great guy, great character and a legend with Liverpool. It is not something that makes me happy. But we have in football not too much time to stay moaning about any situation.

“We have a big challenge [on Tuesday], a big team to play against. Inter has been doing so well this season, so my focus and the focus of the team is on the challenge we are going to face.

“[Salah] not being available is just a consequence of what he did and he is smart enough to know that. I didn’t speak to Mo about that. We have a good relationship. It is not just a teammate, we spend so much time together, we don’t spend much time away from the training ground. We are good friends. We share good moments, happy moments so that creates a bond. We will have a conversation but that is personal.”

Alisson confirmed the squad’s support for Slot despite the public dispute. “Of course [the squad is behind Slot], yeah,” Alisson stressed. He added that last season’s Premier League success is no reason to be complacent and backed Slot’s methods. “Now it looks like everyone takes for granted what we achieved in the last season. It should not be taken for granted. That should be enough, but we believe in his knowledge. We believe in his style of play and that he is capable of helping us to turn around this situation. I believe this is not only about ourselves, but that is the situation with the club as well.”

Salah is out of the squad for the visit to Inter. The upcoming match with Brighton & Hove Albion is his last chance to play for the club before he departs for the Africa Cup of Nations, which runs into the January transfer window. Clubs in Saudi Arabia and the United States are reportedly interested and the forward has not ruled out a January exit. “I don’t think anything, but I hope he plays again for the club,” Alisson proclaimed. “That’s a personal situation between Mo and the club. We as his teammates and his friends, we hope the best thing happens for him, but as Liverpool players we want the best for the club as well. We want a win-win situation for everyone.”