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Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson reveals he has not spoken to team-mate Mohamed Salah following the Egyptian's public outburst against the Reds and manager Arne Slot. After being left out on the bench for the third consecutive Premier League game against Leeds United last weekend, the Reds star went on an explosive rant in front of the media as he hinted he could even exit Anfield in January.

• Salah experiencing difficult 2025-26 season

  After years of consistency in terms of scoring goals and breaking multiple records for Liverpool, Salah has experienced a sudden dip in form in the 2025-26 campaign. So far this season, Salah has scored five goals and provided three assists in 19 matches across all competitions.

  His dip in form prompted Arne Slot to drop the star winger from the Reds' starting lineup in their last three Premier League fixture. The experienced attacker remained silent and waited patiently for his opportunity until the Leeds United clash. After being left out as an unused substitute in yet another game, Salah burst out in front of the media as he said: "I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season. 

  "Now I'm sitting on the bench and I don't know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That's how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don't have any relationship. I don't know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn't want me in the club."

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  Alisson reveals he has not spoken to Salah since Saturday

  Speaking about the incident, Reds' star goalkeeper Alisson said: "This isn't a situation that makes us happy. On a personal level we all love Mo and he's a hugely important player for the team. He is a wonderful human being and a spectacular footballer. He has been very important for the club and has produced some incredible numbers. He's won everything there is to win in his career. The situation isn't nice. We were a little bit caught by surprise but we know it's a personal situation, so we are leaving it to him and the club. It doesn't matter what we think. 

  "What we want is for him and the club to reach an agreement which is in the best interests of him, the club and all of the playing staff. As for tomorrow night's match, we want to play our best. You can expect a Liverpool side that wants to show the will to win and improve the current situation. Play good football and winning football. It won't be in any way easy, we are well aware Inter are a very good side. We know it's a huge challenge."

  Alisson also showed support for Arne Slot, amid talks that the Dutch manager could face the axe, as the Brazilian said: "Of course, yes. The Premier League last season. Before Arne came in, everyone was talking about the huge challenge. It looks like everyone takes for granted what we achieved last season. That should be enough but we believe in his knowledge, his style of playing, that he is capable of helping us to turn around this situation. It's not only about ourselves but that's the situation with the club as well, they trust him. It's not only his responsibility, as a player, I also share it with him. Of course, he's the man responsible for how the team plays, but we are taking the responsibility and are the ones who take action and can change everything. It doesn't make the situation any easier, but we are trying to do that. We have the desire to change the situation and the manager does as well. To get us back on track for the football we were playing last season."

• Salah left out of Champions League squad

  Following his rant against the club and manager, Liverpool have taken the extreme step of omitting Salah from their travelling squad to Italy for the Champions League fixture against Inter in midweek. The Premier League champions have made clear to their star player that everybody – regardless of their standing at Anfield – must earn their place in the team. Salah will be left to reflect on that stance when his team-mates line up against Inter on Tuesday. 

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  Slot responds to Salah's comments

  Reacting for the first time since Salah's outburst, the Dutchman told reporters: "I don't feel that my authority has been undermined. It's not the way I feel it. It's not about me, if my life is difficult, yes or no, that's not very important in a situation like this. It's if it is more difficult for the team and for the club. No one likes us to be in the situation we're in at the moment. First of all, it's difficult to see staff members who work so hard affected by the situation we're in now. Mainly because of the results. I'm the manager, I have to pick a team so to a certain extent I'm important, but my focus is on the team and not on me."

Was this Trinity Rodman’s last match for the Spirit – and is Gotham’s quiet confidence about to reshape the league? Here’s what comes next for both finalists after a dramatic NWSL final.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Trinity Rodman’s mermaid hair drew attention, but the real statement on Saturday came from Gotham FC. The New York/New Jersey side quieted doubts with a disciplined, composed performance, capped by Rose Lavelle’s decisive 80th-minute finish. In a match defined by defensive control rather than flair, Gotham’s poise consistently stood out, even as the Spirit produced the flashier moments.

Their mix of belief and smart, efficient soccer ultimately carried them to the title. And, as with any championship, it leaves both teams facing significant questions about what comes next.

For the Spirit, will Rodman stay? Is there pressure on manager Adrián González after questionable late decisions with substitutions? From a squad standpoint, questions will remain on whether the team can keep its midfield together. 

For Gotham, this is a second title in three years, which naturally raises the question: how do they push for a third? The club navigated injuries and setbacks throughout the season, so the challenge now is whether two-time NWSL champion Juan Carlos Amorós can sustain this standard – and keep marquee talents like Jaedyn Shaw in the fold.

• Spirit fall short again in NWSL Championship

  For the second straight year, the Washington Spirit fell short in the NWSL Championship. Last season, Orlando beat them with two late strikes; this time, a single tense moment in a chippy, defensive match denied them another shot at the trophy.

  The Spirit entered the final with everything seemingly aligned: Rodman was off the injury list, Croix Bethune looked back to her dynamic self, and Tara McKeown – fresh off Defender of the Year honors – anchored the back line. But the team lacked its usual attacking spark, and a sloppy transition, compounded by a poor clearance, opened the door for Gotham’s 80th-minute breakthrough.

  "We had a hard time keeping it and being patient in the final third," Rodman said after the match. 

  The Spirit forward admitted she wasn't 100 percent in the Championship match. 

  "As much as I don't want to admit it, I still don't feel like I was my full self tonight, which sucks. I feel like this is the second year I've gone to a final, not feeling myself. So it just makes me sad. But yeah, for me, I was just trying to go out there and do what I could. I definitely underperformed."

  After conceding, Washington struggled to generate urgency. Even with late substitutions injecting some energy, Gotham managed the closing stages and saw out the win. Spirit coach Adrian Gonzalez acknowledged he could have handled Hal Hershfelt's late substitution better. 

  "Obviously took maybe more time than we were expecting, but a player like her, she always wants to play, and I can imagine that in a final you always want to play, and you don't want to get subbed," he explained after the match. 

  "But it is circumstances that we need to learn [from]. But obviously she wanted to be with the team and with that, obviously now we can say that maybe the sub was late but she was trying to push and that's the only reason."

  The loss stings even more for a Spirit side that believed this was their year after last season’s near miss. Fans also wondered whether this might be Rodman’s final appearance for the club amid reports of overseas interest. Rodman said afterward that nothing has been decided.

  "Like I've always said, we're sisters forever," she said. 

  The Spirit still boast a deep roster – Gift Monday, Hal Hershfelt, Aubrey Kingsbury, and others – so the question now is whether they reassess the group or continue building on the core they’ve established.

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  Will Rodman stay go or go?

  The question hanging over championship week was whether Trinity Rodman will leave the Spirit after this season. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman told reporters the league would “fight for her” to stay, while Rodman fielded speculation throughout the week with steady answers like, “I’ve made no decisions.”

  After the match – and the sting of another final loss – Rodman was asked whether the result might influence her choice. She didn’t hesitate: “Every team loses,” she said.

  Rodman has been linked with a potential move to Europe – a shift that could be hard for Washington to counter, especially with the WSL operating without a salary cap. There have also been reports connecting her to a possible move within D.C., with the USL’s D.C. Power seen as an alternative destination. The USL also doesn't have a salary cap. 

  It’s been a rollercoaster season for Rodman, marked by injuries and stops and starts, yet her impact when available has been unmistakable. Even her nine-minute cameo in the semifinal was enough to lift the Spirit’s energy and help push them through.

  Throughout the week – from the NWSL Awards to Media Day to training sessions – Rodman appeared focused and upbeat, fully present with her teammates. But with her contract expiring this offseason, key decisions await.

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  Gotham win second NWSL Championship in three years

  With everything on the line – and plenty of setbacks along the way – it would’ve been easy for Gotham to bow out early in the NWSL playoffs. Instead, there was a quiet assurance within the group that they had more to give. Emily Sonnett acknowledged the team knew it played under expectations during the regular season but rallied once they got into the postseason.

  "It wasn't a secret that we underperformed," Sonnett said in an interview with CBS's Good Morning America. "Making the playoffs was definitely that reset moment that this team needed."

  Gotham entered as the eighth seed, but carried an unspoken belief that they could surprise people. They went on to knock out two of the league’s best teams, the Kansas City Current and Orlando Pride, earning a second NWSL Championship appearance in three years. Washington had the better regular-season record and were coming off a finals run of their own, but Gotham were peaking at the right moment. Their late-season addition of Jaedyn Shaw proved pivotal, while the return of Rose Lavelle – plus major contributions from rookies like Lilly Reale, Sarah Schupansky, and Sofia Cook – added balance and depth.

  Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós has now guided Gotham to two titles, a significant achievement and a reflection of the standard he has set. 

  “We worked so hard for this moment,” he said  “To become a champion is the moment the referee blows the whistle. Until that moment, you’re trying to be a champion – and then you’re a champion forever.”

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  'We have such a special group'

  Gotham's win can’t be discussed without looking at Lavelle’s overall impact. The U.S. international has been part of plenty of contenders, but an NWSL Championship had always eluded her – until Saturday night at PayPal Park. Her decisive goal sealed Gotham’s second title in three seasons and earned her MVP honors in the process.

  This year marked a long-awaited return for Lavelle, who spent more than a year recovering from ankle surgery. Once she was back, she quickly reestablished herself for both Gotham and the U.S. women’s national team.

  Her impact was immediate. Lavelle brought a creative spark and technical sharpness that both club and country had been missing – and on Saturday, that blend proved to be the difference.

  Lavelle joined Gotham in 2024 after leaving Seattle Reign, arriving alongside U.S. national team teammates Emily Sonnett, Crystal Dunn, and Tierna Davidson. She has settled quickly with the Bats and often highlights the collective effort behind their postseason run.
  "We have such a special group, and I'm so excited to be able to win this with them." She said. 

  With an established core, led by Lavalle, the future looks bright in the New York metro area for the NWSL side. 

  "The sky's the limit. We can do so much with this group. So, I think we really leaned on that during this playoff run, and it worked out," she told ESPN. 

Almost a week and a half on from Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation from Celtic, the Scottish champions appear no closer to naming a permanent successor, with this manager saga likely to run and run if recent history is anything to go by.

While the abrupt nature of the Northern Irishman’s exit has no doubt put the club hierarchy on the back foot, there is little evidence to suggest that those at the helm will secure a replacement swiftly.

You only have to look back to the chaos surrounding the Eddie Howe and Ange Postecoglou developments back in 2021.

The fear is that despite a positive week or so on the pitch, the Hoops may well take the easy route until the end of the season, with recent reports suggesting that 73-year-old interim boss Martin O’Neill is in line to see out the campaign.

The enigmatic and much-loved coach has already done a creditable job with two wins from two, although the head should surely rule over the heart. A younger, more long-term appointment needs to be made.

Finding such a figure may well prove tricky mid-season, although a range of targets are already being considered…

Latest on Celtic's manager search

As already stated, the somewhat worrying whispers are that O’Neill could be given the reins until the summer, despite the fact that the treble winner had been parachuted in after a six-year absence from the game at managerial level.

Turning to the veteran coach may well be the only option if Dermot Desmond and co are unable to acquire their top targets, however, with it yet to be seen if the likes of Kieran McKenna can be prised from Ipswich Town.

With a potential return for that man Postecoglou also deemed to be ‘very unlikely’, a clear favourite for the vacancy has yet to emerge, with the Scottish Sun suggesting that the Parkhead outfit have now put together an eight-man shortlist of possible candidates.

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As per that report, among the names who is being considered is 37-year-old Efrain Juarez, with the Mexican coach touted as something of a shock appointment having come out of the blue as a new managerial target.

Currently at the helm of Liga MX side Pumas UNAM, the promising coach previously had a brief spell as a player at Celtic between 2010 and 2012, albeit while making just 21 appearances in total during that forgettable stint.

Also previously an assistant coach to ex-Hoops boss Ronny Deila at New York City FC, Standard Liege and Club Brugge, Juarez does have something of a Celtic connection, with his name thrown into the ring as the Premiership side prepare interviews with prospective targets.

A wildcard move it would certainly be, although similar gambles have paid off in the past for the Glasgow giants…

Why Celtic could appoint their next Postecoglou

As already stated, Celtic are no strangers to chaos when it comes to seeking out a new manager, with the summer of 2021 – in the wake of Neil Lennon’s second Parkhead exit – seeing a protracted pursuit of Howe prove fruitless.

With time running out ahead of the new campaign, a surprise pick was selected in the form of Postecoglou, with the Greek-Aussie later quipping that he was seen as a “joke” by many when he arrived in Scottish football.

Following initial struggles – including a run of three away league defeats in a row – the attack-minded coach quickly quashed the doubters after overseeing two seasons of stunning success, romping to five domestic trophies with a brand of football that has hardly been seen before or since.

Fluid, relentless, breathtaking – Celtic under Postecoglou’s watch were a joy to behold, regularly putting the likes of Rangers to the sword with an almost unstoppable level of performance.

That remarkable stint in charge emphatically extinguished any concerns over his lack of Celtic connection or prior experience in European football, with such a left-field appointment no doubt paying dividends for those at Parkhead.

While Juarez does have brief experience of the club, like Postecoglou he is yet to manage a European side in his embryonic coaching career thus far, having taken over at Pumas in March following a successful stint at Colombian club Atlético Nacional before that.

Like Postecoglou, Juarez has had to fend off the doubters and has done so to notable effect. Indeed, question marks over his lack of experience as a manager were quickly put to bed in Colombia, as he claimed the league and cup double last year.

Days in charge

750

Games

113

Wins

83

Draws

12

Losses

18

Players used

53

Points per game

2.31

Trophies won

5

From 27 games in charge of his former side, he won 15 games and enjoyed a points per game ratio of 1.93. For context, while it is a small sample size, that record exceeds what Postecoglou has achieved in any of his career stints, barring his time at Celtic, where he achieved a 2.31 points per game ratio from his 113 games in charge, as per Transfermarkt.

A passionate coach with a style of play noted for its “quick transitions” – as per journalist Esteban Cristancho Medina – the 4-2-3-1 manager certainly has shades of Postecoglou about him, ensuring he could be a risk worth taking.

While, unlike ‘Ange’, Juarez does not boast a wealth of experience as a manager to date, he has already proven his credentials amid his exploits in Colombia, cultivating a winning formula that could be translated into success in Scotland.

No stranger to being something of an underdog when appointed at his former employers, he would no doubt relish the chance to silence any critics at Celtic – just as Postecoglou did so before him.

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