Mohamed Salah has expressed regret to his Liverpool teammates following the contentious remarks he made after the club's 3-3 draw with Leeds United earlier this month.
The Egyptian forward sparked considerable controversy on 6 December when he told reporters he felt he had been "thrown under the bus" by the club, whilst also questioning his future at Anfield.
Midfielder Curtis Jones has now revealed that Salah addressed the dressing room directly in the aftermath of his explosive comments.
Jones confirmed the 33-year-old spoke to his fellow players, with the squad remaining united despite the public outburst.
Mohamed Salah has apologised to the Liverpool team, Curtis Jones said
|REUTERS
"Mo is his own man and he can say his own stuff. He apologised to us and was like, 'If I've affected anybody or made you feel any sort of way, I apologise'. That's the man that he is," Jones explained.
The midfielder added that Salah's demeanour remained unchanged throughout the episode.
"He was positive as well. He was the exact same Mo, he had a big smile on his face and everybody was exactly the same with him," Jones said.
He attributed the winger's frustration to his competitive nature, having been benched for three consecutive matches.
"I guess it's just part of wanting to be a winner and I don't think he will be the last."
Curtis Jones admitted he understood Mohamed Salah's conduct
|PA
Jones was understanding of his teammate's conduct, suggesting there are worse attitudes a player could display.
"I get that there are certain ways you can go about things, but if a lad's fine to just be on the bench and he doesn't want to play and help the team, then I think that's more of an issue," he noted.
Following the interview, Salah was left out of Liverpool's travelling party for their Champions League victory against Inter Milan on 9 December, though the club did not formally discipline him.
The forward returned to action as a substitute in last weekend's 2-0 triumph over Brighton, where he provided an assist for Hugo Ekitike's second goal.
Salah has since departed to represent Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Manager Arne Slot addressed the situation during his press conference on Friday, confirming the matter had been resolved.
Mohamed Salah has been linked with an exit from Liverpool next year | REUTERS
"I said last week that actions speak louder than words and we moved on," Slot stated. "He was in the squad and he was the first substitution I made."
The Dutchman indicated he would not discuss Liverpool matters whilst Salah competes at the Africa Cup of Nations, allowing the forward to focus entirely on his international duties.
Jones emphasised the tight-knit nature of the squad, comparing it to a family unit.
"Families argue and fight, but they always stick as one," he observed. "That little blip showed that the family is the most important thing."