Mohamed Salah will start Liverpool's Premier League game against West Ham United at the London Stadium on the bench – and Arne Slot has explained why
Arne Slot speaking before Liverpool's Premier League game against West Ham
Arne Slot speaking before Liverpool's Premier League game against West Ham
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Arne Slot has explained why Mohamed Salah has dropped to the bench for Liverpool's game against West Ham United. The last time the forward started a Premier League game on the bench for the Reds was against the Hammers back in April 2024.
However, the Egypt international is one of four changes that Slot has made to his side that started Wednesday’s Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven. Giorgi Mamardashvili, Curtis Jones and Hugo Ekitike all join Salah on the bench, having started the midweek game at Anfield.
Expalining the thinking behind his decision to start Salah on the bench, Slot told Sky Sports: “We have more players on the bench than just Mo, but I understand why you ask the question.
“We’re playing four games in 10 days. I have many good players, so today I chose this line-up. Sometimes Isak has been on the bench, sometimes Wirtz, so I understand why it’s about the players on the bench, but it’s also about those that start.
“It’s not an easy decision, as I have many more than 11 good players – it’s not the first time I haven’t played Mo, just like I’ve decided not to play Isak, Wirtz and Etikite.”
The Reds’ campaign sank to a new low on Wednesday night when they were beaten 4-1 by PSV. Slot’s side have lost nine of their last 12 matches, and this is the worst run of form the club have been on for 70 years.
The Dutchman now finds himself under huge pressure to turn things around. However, Slot pledged to fight on when addressing the media on Thursday afternoon.
He said: “It would also be nice if we would reward ourselves in the moments we play well because people are very focused, and correctly, about the parts we don’t play well.
“There are definitely large parts of the games that we do play well and do create a lot of chances – we tend to forget to reward ourselves in those moments.
“Every small mistake, or small error, immediately leads to us conceding a goal.”
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