Mohamed Salah has been named on the bench for Liverpool's Premier League clash against Sunderland after being an unused substitute against West Ham United
19:27, 03 Dec 2025Updated 19:33, 03 Dec 2025
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 30: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool on the substitutes bench during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Liverpool at London Stadium on November 30, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Izzy Poles - AMA/Getty Images)
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Mohamed Salah has been dropped again by Arne Slot(Image: Izzy Poles - AMA, Getty Images)
Mohamed Salah has been dropped to the bench for Liverpool's Premier League face-off against Sunderland, after being an unused substitute in the weekend's victory over West Ham United.
The forward has been under fire recently as the Reds struggled to find form. Arne Slot has been tinkering with his attacking line-up in an attempt to strike the right balance, selecting Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz, and Dominik Szoboszlai for the match with the Black Cats - the same quartet he chose for the triumph over the Hammers.
Liverpool put up a solid defence and just about delivered in attack last time, with the boss keen to replicate that success.
Mohamed Salah and Arne Slot
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Salah is no longer the first name on Arne Slot's teamsheet(Image: Richard Martin-Roberts - CameraSport via Getty Images)
It's a bold move from the boss, not only sidelining Salah but also sticking with certain players. Both Wirtz and Isak have been grappling with fitness issues of late, with the latter especially hit by a string of injuries since his arrival at Anfield.
Slot has had his work cut out finding the perfect balance, with Liverpool netting 20 goals but also letting in the same number in the Premier League this season. The choice to bench Salah for the West Ham match raised a few eyebrows, given the star is usually one of the first names on the team sheet since joining the club.
The star has faced criticism for his defensive work rate and hasn't been able to make the same impact he's known for. The 33-year-old has netted five goals and provided three assists in 18 appearances across all competitions this season.
Salah is clearly no longer Slot's first name on the teamsheet, with the Egyptian benched for two consecutive Premier League games for the first time since joining the Reds. Concerns will only grow about Salah's future if Liverpool produce another positive result and performance without the winger.
Despite being benched over the weekend, Slot opened up about how hard it was for everyone to see Salah sidelined, stating: "It is not a nice thing for him, not for a Liverpool fan and not for me.
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"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 Africa Cup of Nations."