Salah Reveals Slot’s Fiery Half-Time Speech in Liverpool’s Comeback Win

Liverpool boss Arne Slot was visibly frustrated after a defensive mix-up gifted Southampton the lead in their 3-1 defeat at Anfield on Saturday. Mohamed Salah later revealed that Slot did not hold back in his halftime team talk, sparking a much-needed second-half turnaround.

Salah netted twice from the penalty spot, while Darwin Nunez also found the net, but all three Liverpool goals came after the break.

Southampton’s Will Smallbone had silenced Anfield just before halftime, capitalizing on miscommunication between goalkeeper Alisson and Virgil van Dijk. Watching from the stands—serving the second of a two-game suspension—Slot was caught on camera with his head in his hands.

However, his words at halftime clearly had an impact.

“He was frustrated—his head was going for us,” Salah told Premier League Productions. “Sometimes you need that. We were sloppy and slow in the first half. I don’t think we played well today. If you want to win the Champions League or Premier League, you have to win these types of games.”

The win extended Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League table to 16 points, though second-placed Arsenal, with two games in hand, could close the gap.

Slot, who made three halftime substitutions, admitted the first-half performance fell short of expectations.

“I had to change things because of the work rate,” he told BBC Sport. “That hasn’t happened much this season, but it was a poor first half—not just in how we played but also in the energy we brought.”

Liverpool’s win came between two crucial Champions League knockout matches against Paris Saint-Germain. They edged PSG 1-0 away last Wednesday and host the return leg at Anfield on Tuesday.

Slot acknowledged that the team had more to give.

“The only positive is that in the first 45 minutes, I don’t think they ran at all,” he joked. “I exaggerate a bit, but they saved their energy. For me, that’s not a good thing. I believe in going all-in and building habits. But I know these players are capable of much, much more—both in performance and work rate.”

Despite their commanding league position, Slot refused to get carried away.

“It’s still a long way to go,” he cautioned. “If I’m correct, Arsenal play three games before we play our next one. Right now, it’s a 16-point lead, but by the time we face Everton, it could be just seven.”

With a packed schedule ahead—including the Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup final, and an international break—Liverpool won’t return to Premier League action until April 2, when they take on Everton in the Merseyside derby.