Quality players like Mohamed Salah are crucial in big games, Liverpool manager Arne Slot said after the Egypt international’s late strike secured a 2-2 draw against Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

Salah, who said last month he was poised to leave Liverpool after this season, also scored in last weekend’s 2-1 win over Chelsea, after netting the winning goal from the penalty spot at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“I think that’s one of the things that top players have, that they are always available and they show up in the big games,” Slot told reporters.

“That’s also what you need if you are a big club, like we are and like Arsenal is, then you need these quality players because if you don’t have them, it’s going to be quite difficult to get your results.

Salah, who is tied with Robbie Fowler as Liverpool’s eighth-highest goalscorer of all time with 163 strikes, has scored six goals in the league this season. Salah was on the scoresheet in five of Liverpool’s seven league wins.

“It’s something you need to have as a club, to have these players that can make the difference for you, and Mo was that today offensively,” Slot added.

Liverpool, who have 22 points from nine matches, are one point behind leaders
Manchester City.

Slot continued to temper expectations of his side after the draw, though he hailed the Reds’ fighting spirit after twice going behind.

Slot, who has repeatedly said it is too early in the campaign to pass judgment on his side, returned to his familiar theme after snatching a late point.

“I know you guys (the media) like to talk about title contenders and where we are exactly in the league — and that’s also part of your job,” he said.

“The only thing I look at is: can you get a result in a difficult away game like this one?

“The way we did it pleased me a lot ... to see that we can compete with such a strong Arsenal team in their stadium, that is very pleasing to see.

“But where that exactly will lead towards the end of the season, I cannot tell you yet.”

Liverpool made the title a three-horse race for much of last season before falling away in the closing stages and their impressive recent form has raised the prospect they could mount a challenge for a second Premier League title.

“Going two times behind against a very strong and good Arsenal team, then to get a point is pleasing to see, especially because we had to play an away game in Europe this week, we had one day less to recover and to prepare,” added Slot.

The Dutchman picked up a second booking of the season to leave him one yellow card away from a touchline ban.

Slot had said he deserved the booking he received during last Sunday’s 2-1 win over Chelsea, but protested his innocence after receiving a card in the second half.

“They always fell down after they had ball possession, and that took the energy out of the game in my opinion, and I said to Ibou (Konate), ‘this is a f***ing joke,” Slot said.

“The fourth official thought that I said to him, ‘you are a f***ing joke’, so that’s definitely not what I said, but I got a yellow for that, so now I’m on two (yellows), so I have to be careful now.”

Upset Arteta

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he was proud of his team’s draw but was left to rue an ever-growing injury list after losing two more key defenders against Premier League title-chasing rivals.

The London club started Sunday’s game without captain and long-term absentee Martin Odegaard and defender Riccardo Calafiori through injury, as well as another defender William Saliba through suspension.

But they were further hit as defensive lynchpin Gabriel Magalhaes and left-sided Jurrien Timber were both forced off in the second half to leave a largely makeshift backline.

Arteta told reporters he was disappointed his side did not win but “very proud of the team, especially with the situation that we are going through at the moment,” referring to the club’s injury list.

“We have to adapt to it,” he said.