Mo Salah registered only a third Premier League assist of the season after coming off the bench during Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Brighton on Saturday.
The Egyptian has had a tumultuous week after claiming that the Reds have ‘thrown him under the bus’ following three consecutive matches on the bench.
Having been left out of the squad entirely for Tuesday’s impressive win over Inter Milan, Salah was back on Saturday for what could potentially be his final appearance for Liverpool.
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Who was your man of the match during Liverpool’s impressive 2-0 win over Brighton?
Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Premier League
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
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After helping Liverpool to a relatively comfortable 2-0 win, all eyes were on the legendary winger at full-time as fans looked for clues whether he was indeed leaving.
Salah stayed to applaud the Kop, which is sure to keep fans guessing as to whether he’ll still be a Liverpool player when he returns from AFCON. But having watched his exit from the pitch, pundit Chris Sutton does not believe Salah was saying his goodbyes.
Mohamed Salah did not appear to be saying his goodbyes
If this is to be the end of Salah at Liverpool, then at least the 33-year-old managed to go out with a goal contribution.
He should have found the net himself, but could only balloon Federico Chiesa’s ball across the box over the crossbar.
Mohamed Salah celebrates after setting up Hugo Ekitike's goal during Liverpool's vs Brighton in the Premier League.
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
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Had Salah scored, we may have seen an emotional reaction which could have better informed whether he is going or not. Instead, Sutton noted his full-time reaction for BBC Sport, claiming that he did not feel it to signal the end.
“I suppose everybody will be leaving Anfield with that feeling of what’s going to happen next with Mo Salah? Is he going to stay or is he going to go? But it’s been a good week for Slot,” said the pundit.
“I don’t think it was a goodbye. There were a couple of moments where we you thought ‘was that a wave or not’ but it just looked like he was applauding the fans like he does every week and as a lot of the other players did.”
What did you read into Salah’s full-time reaction at Anfield today?
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool pats the Liverpool badge on his shirt after the Premier League match between Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Will he play for Liverpool again?
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“It’s going to be interesting to see how this situation pans out. If you’re a Liverpool fan you want to keep your best players so you’ll be hoping it works out.”
Will Salah play for Liverpool again?
Salah certainly did look slightly more emotional than usual at the end of Saturday’s game.
However, it is important to note that he does always put on a little show whenever he is leaving for AFCON.
It should also be said that this has been no ordinary week for Salah. Whether he is leaving or not, there was more charge than usual in Saturday’s game. There was always going to be some kind of acknowledgment of the crowd.
If this is to be a goodbye, though, then Sutton is right. It was a muted one. As a result, we simply do not see a world in which Salah leaves Liverpool at this juncture.
The Egypt captain showed some of his old sparkle against Brighton, and if Arne Slot can keep him in that kind of form when he returns, it doesn’t make sense for anyone for Salah to leave.
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