Arne Slot has confessed that it's "not nice" to see Mohamed Salah warming the bench, as he hinted at Liverpool's long-term strategy for the right wing.
For the first time since April 2024, Salah was named as a substitute in a Premier League game and remained on the bench as the Reds comfortably secured a 2-0 victory against West Ham United on Sunday.
Liverpool head coach Slot made the tough decision after the Egyptian was among several players who failed to hit their stride during a streak of nine losses in 12 matches, causing the champions to slide down the league table.
The 33-year-old, who has firmly established himself as one of the greatest players in Liverpool's history, is entering the final 18 months of his contract, with rumors already swirling about the club's succession plan.
Speaking about Salah's benching, Slot said (as per the Liverpool Echo): "It is not a nice thing for you, not 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'd rather see Mo on the pitch, netting goals and creating magic, instead of the camera focusing on him when he's not playing.
"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."
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool applauds from the bench during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Liverpool at London Stadium
Mohamed Salah was left on the bench for Liverpool's win over West Ham (Image: Justin Setterfield, Getty Images)
Salah will depart from the Liverpool squad on December 15 to join Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations, potentially missing up to eight games as a result.
The Reds have four fixtures before then, starting with Wednesday's Premier League clash against Sunderland.
Slot also commended the response of Salah. In his quest to reclaim his starting position for the upcoming match against the soaring Black Cats, the Egyptian has responded positively to being benched.
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"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," Slot said.
"That's exactly the attitude he showed on Sunday and Monday as well. He was good in training, as were all the others."
Dominik Szoboszlai filled in for Salah on the right wing at the weekend, but Slot doesn't see the Hungarian as a permanent solution in that position. Instead, he's looking for a dedicated winger, hinting at the future composition of Liverpool's attack.
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 30: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool and Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, embrace following the team's victory during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Liverpool at London Stadium on November 30, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Dominik Szoboszlai filled in for Mohamed Salah on the right against West Ham
"I don't see Dominik as a right-winger for the long-term future in this club," he said. "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.
"A thing that was important for me to do is that in some other games we were going more man-to-man than in this game (against West Ham), so the last line of four could stay more in place. Dominik as we all know runs for two, and that was helpful in that game.
"(But) in the long-term future, we should have wingers playing as wingers, midfielders playing as midfielders and defenders playing as defenders."