By LEWIS STEELE, FOOTBALL REPORTER
Published: 17:15 EST, 9 December 2025 | Updated: 17:22 EST, 9 December 2025
Mohamed Salah could take solace from his sofa by knowing that, unlike the title of the 1971 James Bond film and accompanying Shirley Bassey soundtrack, diamonds are not indeed for ever.
Boss Arne Slot has evolved his setup from the tried-and-tested way that won them the Premier League but his 4-4-2 diamond has thus far failed to sparkle, evident in an uninspiring but nevertheless crucial victory over Inter Milan at San Siro.
The transition from the Mo Salah era to the No Salah era – whether a short phase or a more permanent end of a chapter – has shown some minor signs of promise but, overall, not produced much to write about on those postcards sent home to the Egyptian.
But in his place, up stepped Dominik Szoboszlai to convert an 88th-minute penalty to hand Slot a huge victory without his talisman and take Liverpool into the top eight of the Champions League table, which would see them skip the dreaded play-off round.
Salah was posting selfies in the gym on Tuesday morning and maybe it was at that moment the outspoken forward started to feel like the naughty kid left at home to do maths classes with the supply teacher while all his mates were off on a jolly of a school trip.
Had Liverpool rocked up to San Siro, notoriously one of the toughest places to go in Europe despite their good record here, and won comfortably, then Salah might have seen his case in the Anfield civil war significantly weakened. As it was, the opposite occurred.
Dominik Szoboszlai smashed the penalty home to give Liverpool a valuable win on the road
The Hungarian was again one of his side's best players and delivered from the spot
It was a massive win for Slot given the scrutiny on his future and Mo Salah soap opera
Without him, they lacked everything he has offered week in, week out for the best part of a decade: excitement, marksman-like finishing, eagle-eyed creativity. OK, the Reds are looking more solid at the back, which will please Slot, but that does not sell tickets.
Slot started a front two of Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak for just the second time since the £204million strike partnership joined the club. Guess how many passes they completed to one another. A big, fat zero.
It’s hardly Chris Sutton and Alan Shearer, the latter of which was on TV commentary as old Newcastle man Isak failed to make an impact despite some sharp moments early on. It’s hardly even Salah and, well, any of the forward partners he has had over the years at Anfield.
Who knows what the next episode of the Salah soap opera will bring but one thing is clear: whether his run out of the team is a short-term loss or for ever farewell, they miss him. Slot is not weak and has managed the situation well but, deep down, he will miss Salah too.
Liverpool won 3-1 in this cathedral of football last year against AC Milan. It was Slot’s 46th birthday that day and he beamed with pride after recording his first Champions League victory as Reds boss and, little did he know at the time, it was the first of 24 games unbeaten.
A year older, wiser and with a few battle scars along the way, the Dutchman may have spent the scenic flight directly over the snow-capped Alps reminiscing about that time. Back at San Siro but returning under huge pressure to end a wretched run of four wins in 15 before this trip.
Just like the descent into Milan, he arrived with heavy turbulence. Not only had his team fallen to drab draws against promoted sides Sunderland and Leeds in the previous six days but Slot was negotiating his toughest week in football after star man Salah aired his dirty laundry.
Slot’s head must have felt like it was whirring around a washing machine on Monday night deep in the bowels of this grand old stadium as he faced a media grilling about the Egyptian calling out just about everyone at the club.
The referee went to the monitor and decided a pull on Florian Wirtz's shirt warranted a penalty
Wirtz went down in the box after Alessandro Bastoni gave a tug on the German's shirt
Ibrahima Konate had a goal chalked off for handball following a long VAR check
Conor Bradley was sharp off the bench and had a great chance saved by Yann Sommer
It made one almost forget we were in Italy for a football match and not a court trial with Slot and Salah in a messy power struggle.
MATCH FACTS:
INTERNAZIONALE (3-5-2): Sommer 7; Akanji 7, Acerbi 5 (Bisseck 31, 6), Bastoni 7; Henrique 6, Barella 6.5, Calhanoglu 5 (Zielinski 11, 6), Mkhitaryan 5, Dimarco 6; Thuram 5, L Martinez 7.
Subs not used: J Martinez, Taho, Bonny, Augusto, Cocchi, De Vrij, Diouf, Esposito, Frattesi, Sucic.
Booked: L Martinez, Mkhitaryan, Bastoni.
Manager: Cristian Chivu 6.
LIVERPOOL (4-1-2-1-2): Alisson 7; Gomez 6 (Bradley 68, 7.5), Konate 7, Van Dijk 7.5, Robertson 7; Gravenberch 7.5; Szoboszlai 7.5, JONES 8; Mac Allister 6; Isak 5 (Wirtz 68, 7.5), Ekitike 7.
Subs not used: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Kerkez, Lucky, Ngumoha, Nyoni.
Booked: Ekitike, Jones.
Scorers: Szoboszlai (pen) 88.
Manager: Arne Slot 7.5.
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Ger) 7.
But aside from all the off-pitch drama, as box-office as it may be for neutrals, needed to be parked as this was a must-win game for Liverpool.
Just like their last trip here, Ibrahima Konate headed home in front of the Curva Nord. This time, though, it was chalked off after the VAR spent four whole minutes trying to find a handball offence against striker Hugo Ekitike.
Before then, Liverpool had been looking good in their 4-4-2 diamond formation. Far from their best but better than they have been, creating chances through the lines in midfield and looking solid at the other end. Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch and Ekitike all had chances thwarted.
Inter, meanwhile, barely created anything in the first 40 minutes but the first half ended with Alisson ordering his team to take their time and get to the break unscathed after Nico Barella saw a free-kick go just wide and Lautaro Martinez forced a top save from a point-blank header.
The Italians formed a solid and typical defensive unit in the second half and the Reds barely threatened until Conor Bradley was slipped through and forced a save from veteran Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
Slot, in his defence, was not just without Salah but also regular starter Cody Gakpo and substitute forward Federico Chiesa. The latter had an awfully-timed bout of the… well, let’s just say he has not been very well.
Salah might have felt unwell, too, as he saw Liverpool given an 86th-minute penalty for a tug on Florian Wirtz. The Egyptian would have been taking that if he was here. If not, he was left to celebrate – we presume, anyway – a defining goal by his mate Szoboszlai.