Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Aston Villa at Anfield on November 01, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)placeholder image
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Aston Villa at Anfield on November 01, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) | Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Arne Slot and Liverpool made the decision to leave Mohamed Salah at home rather than let him travel to Italy
It will be all eyes on Liverpool vs Brighton at the weekend when first the squad is announced and then the starting XI.
Arne Slot has a decision to make, does he be the bigger man and bring the disgruntled Mohamed Salah back into the fold or does he send the Egyptian King off to the African Cup of Nations with his tail between his legs? That the 33-year old has been posting on social media like a love-lost teenager rather than a veteran of his trade suggests that he isn’t about to offer an olive branch to the Reds boss anytime soon.
Slot has major Mo Salah decision to make for Liverpool
As seen against Inter Milan, a Liverpool without Salah is a weaker Liverpool. Yes, he hasn’t been at his best this season, however, Alexander Isak is still miles away from the player who was seen at Newcastle United last season and who was put in the same conversation as players like Erling Haaland and Harry Kane. Fitness issues aside, the big Swede currently looks anything but a £125m striker and Liverpool look better without him on the pitch.
Slot has, rightly, gone back to basics with his game plan and nobody can say it didn’t work against Inter. Alisson was kept quiet for the most part aside from one save from Lautaro Martinez with Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk looking more like the title winning centre-half partnership than the recent relegation threatened one. The manager knows who he can trust, but he has to nip the argument with Salah in the bud rather than letting it fester with a situation that he can’t lose from presenting itself.
Stephen Warnock on Salah returning against Brighton
Salah is moaning about not being picked which is justifiable given Liverpool are now unbeaten in four games and should have three wins from four. If Slot picks Salah and he scores, everyone wins. If Slot picks Salah and he doesn’t score or play well, Slot wins because the fans will be happy that he is back, but he will have been proven right if the Reds no.11 doesn’t merit his inclusion.
Speaking on BBC Five Live, former Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock reckons that Slot might not be keen to kiss and make up before Salah heads off to Morocco: “Well, it depends what he sees his future as, whether he thinks he wants away from Liverpool and whether this was just forcing the issue to get out the football club. There's always a way back if the two can come together and sort things out. I spoke before the game and I said, you'd still want Mohamed Salah in your team, in your squad, because he's a game changer.
“The numbers speak for themselves. And whether that's achievable or not, we'll have to wait and see. I don't think he plays or he's involved in the Brighton game at home.”
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