Arne Slot is keeping his cards close to his chest over Mohamed Salah's involvement in Liverpool's final Premier League fixture of the season, refusing to say whether the departing forward will play any part against Brentford at Anfield on Sunday.

Salah, 33, is leaving Liverpool this summer after nine years at the club, and Sunday's game carries added significance beyond the potential farewell — a single point would confirm the Reds' place in next season's Champions League.

"I never say anything about team selection," Slot said when pressed on whether the Egypt international would feature. The manager's response was measured but telling, coming just days after Salah took to social media to call for Liverpool to change their style of play — comments widely read as a pointed critique of how the club has operated under Slot's management.

A relationship that has not always been smooth

The noises out of Anfield over the past several months have made it clear this has not been the most straightforward manager-player dynamic. Salah said in December that his relationship with Slot had broken down, and earlier this season he was left out of the squad for the Champions League trip to Inter Milan in the wake of that interview.

Slot addressed the latest social media post with notable restraint. "I don't think it is that important what I feel about it," he said. "What is important is that we qualify for the Champions League on Sunday and I prepare Mo and the whole team in the best possible way for the game."

He also reflected on the defeat to Aston Villa that delayed their qualification, admitting: "I was very disappointed after our loss against Villa because a win would have given us qualification for the Champions League which we didn't get. Now there's one game to go which is a vital one for us as a club."

Slot signals an evolution — with or without Salah

Perhaps the most striking element of Slot's press conference was his candid admission that he has not been satisfied with Liverpool's football this season, and that he intends to shape the team in a different image going forward.

"I haven't liked a lot of the way we played this season," he said. "But we try to evolve the team in a way that we can compete but definitely also play the brand of football, the style of football the fans, I, and hopefully Mo — if he's somewhere else at that moment in time — will like as well."

The phrase "if he's somewhere else" confirms what has long been understood: Salah is on his way out, and Slot is already thinking about life after him.

Whether the Reds legend gets the send-off the Kop will want on Sunday remains an open question. Slot insists both he and Salah want what is best for the club, and if a Champions League berth is secured — with or without their departing talisman on the pitch — it would at least ensure the new era begins on solid European footing.

Kick-off at Anfield on Sunday is 16:00 BST.

Frequently asked

Will Salah play in his last Liverpool game against Brentford?
Manager Arne Slot has refused to confirm whether Mohamed Salah will feature, saying he never discusses team selection publicly. His involvement in what could be his Anfield farewell remains uncertain.
Why is Liverpool vs Brentford so important?
Liverpool need at least a point from the game to guarantee qualification for next season's Champions League, after failing to seal it in their previous fixture against Aston Villa.
Why is Mohamed Salah leaving Liverpool?
Salah's contract at Liverpool is expiring this summer after nine years at the club. He and the club have not agreed a new deal, and Slot has strongly implied the forward will be elsewhere next season.