Arne Slot has confessed that it's "not nice" to see Mohamed Salah relegated to the bench, while commending the Liverpool star's response to being dropped. For the first time since April 2024, Salah was named as a substitute in the Premier League and remained on the bench as the Reds secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over West Ham.
Liverpool boss Slot made the decision after a string of underwhelming performances from several players, including Salah, during a period that saw the champions suffer nine defeats in 12 games and slide down the league table. The 33-year-old, who has firmly established himself as one of Liverpool's all-time greats, is entering the final 18 months of his contract.
Speaking about Salah's demotion to the bench, Slot said: "It is not a nice thing for a Liverpool fan and not for me, a player that has been so important for us – you want to see him on the pitch.
"I prefer to see Mo on the pitch, scoring his goals and doing something special, rather than the camera being on him when he isn't in the game.
"He has been so important for us, for so many years, and he will be important for us in the coming days – because it is days as he goes to the AFCON."
Salah will depart from the Liverpool squad on December 15 to join Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations, potentially missing up to eight matches as a result.
The Reds face four fixtures before that point, beginning with Wednesday's Premier League match against Sunderland at Anfield.
Slot has commended Salah's attitude after being benched, as the Egyptian star battles to reclaim his place in the starting XI for the showdown with the soaring Black Cats.
"The reaction of every player in this group, no matter whether he's playing or not playing, is to bring the best out of yourself every single day you are in this building and when we are playing," he explained.
"That's exactly the attitude he showed on Sunday and Monday as well. He was good in training."
Dominik Szoboszlai filled in for Salah on the right wing at the weekend, though Slot doesn't consider the Hungarian a permanent solution in that position and is seeking a specialist winger, offering insight into Liverpool's future attacking blueprint.
"I don't see Dominik as a right-winger for the long-term future in this club," added Slot.
"Dominik is a midfielder who could help us out as a full-back or as a winger if needed. But he's more of a midfielder than he is a full-back or winger.
"I don't expect to be in February and March and every single game Dominik is playing there.
"In the long-term future, we should have wingers playing as wingers, midfielders playing as midfielders and defenders playing as defenders."
In addition to considering whether to bring back Salah, Slot also needs to decide if Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Joe Gomez, all of whom shone in the victory over West Ham, can start two games in four days following recent fitness worries.
Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni are still sidelined, although Bradley may be fit for the weekend's match after recovering from a hamstring problem.