Mohamed Salah: Liverpool boss Arne Slot provides update after restoring forward to the squad for the Brighton victory
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has stated that there is no issue to resolve with Mohamed Salah after the forward made an impactful substitute appearance in the 2-0 win over Brighton at Anfield.
Salah had been left out of the squad for the Champions League win at Inter following his claim that he no longer had a relationship with Slot after Liverpool's 3-3 draw with Leeds United last weekend.
Slot reintroduced Salah into the fold against Brighton following Friday discussions, and the substitute helped make a difference by laying on Hugo Ekitike’s second goal from a corner in what was Salah’s final appearance before departing for AFCON with Egypt.
“For me, there is no issue to resolve,” Slot said after the win, which lifted Liverpool to sixth in the table. “He is now the same as any player. You speak with your players if you’re happy or unhappy with things, but there is nothing for me to discuss after what happened against Leeds.”
Salah’s return to form continued a landmark moment
Mohamed Salah now stands as Liverpool’s all-time top creator in the Premier League, with 277 goal involvements for the club (188 goals, 89 assists), surpassing Wayne Rooney’s 276 (183 goals, 93 assists) for Manchester United.
Salah paused to applaud the Anfield crowd, who sang his name throughout the afternoon after he came on, though there was no indication this would be a permanent farewell.
Asked if the match could have been his last for Liverpool, Slot replied: “He wasn’t the only player who walked around the pitch to thank the fans, because they deserved thanks from us.”
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Salah’s performance on return
Salah, brought on after an injury to Joe Gomez in the first half, produced a more aggressive and purposeful display than in recent weeks. He helped seal the victory by assisting Ekitike’s second goal and was involved in the most goal chances (five) on the pitch.
Slot emphasized Salah’s value and potential impact once he returns from AFCON, saying: “He’s a Liverpool player, and when he’s here, I like to use him as needed. Today he didn’t start as often as before, but when he came on he performed as you’d want.”
Looking ahead, Slot hopes Salah will maintain the form he showed in those minutes, contributing both goals and assists after the break. He also hinted that the open line of communication between him and Salah remains intact, noting that what they discussed privately would stay private.
The broader takeaway is that Salah’s on-pitch influence may have quieted the ongoing speculation around his future, at least temporarily. With the January transfer window approaching, debates about Salah’s future are likely to resume, but for now his impact in this match provided a timely boost for Liverpool and its supporters.
