Mohamed Salah swiftly addressed questions surrounding his ongoing contract situation after scoring in Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over Leicester City.

The 32-year-old secured his 16th goal of the season, sealing the win for Arne Slot’s side, who now sit seven points clear at the top of the Premier League following Chelsea’s earlier defeat.

Salah, along with teammates Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, is out of contract at the end of the season and will be eligible to negotiate with foreign clubs from January 1.

Last month, the Egyptian star stirred speculation among fans when he revealed that no discussions about a contract renewal had taken place. However, when asked for an update on Boxing Day, Salah avoided any details about negotiations. Instead, he extended holiday wishes and looked forward to Liverpool’s next home game, a New Year’s Day clash against Manchester United.

“I want to wish [the fans] Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” Salah told Amazon Prime. “I’ll see them at the next game here.”

Supporters hoping for clarity on Salah’s future were left equally in the dark by manager Arne Slot, who has consistently declined to discuss contract matters publicly since joining the club.

“We don’t talk about contracts in public,” Slot said after securing Liverpool’s 13th win in 17 league games. “That’s something for the players and [sporting director] Richard Hughes to handle. It’s not my place to comment on those situations.

“But what I can say is Mo [Salah] had another strong performance today. Van Dijk was excellent, and Trent, apart from one or two moments, was also very good, especially in the second half. That’s what we focus on, not contracts.”

While Slot kept his cards close to his chest regarding off-field matters, his satisfaction with Liverpool’s commanding position in the title race was evident.

The Reds overcame an early setback after Leicester took the lead six minutes in, thanks to goals from Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones, and Salah.

This latest win extended Liverpool’s lead over Chelsea at the summit of the Premier League and created a 14-point gap over defending champions Manchester City. Slot’s team also holds a game in hand over their closest competitors.

Arsenal will have the opportunity to close the gap to six points when they host Ipswich at the Emirates on Friday night.