Liverpool boss Arne Slot has addressed the tactical switch for Mohamed Salah and an ongoing issue with referee decisions
Liverpool boss Arne Slot talking after the Champions League win at Marseille on January 21 2026
Liverpool boss Arne Slot talking after the Champions League win at Marseille on January 21 2026(Image: LFC TV)
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Arne Slot has explained the reason behind handing Mohamed Salah a new position on his Liverpool return - as he once again questioned refereeing decisions against his team. Salah was back for the Champions League win at Marseille on Wednesday after missing the last seven games having been on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Egypt.
The 33-year-old was making his first start since November after being benched by Slot ahead of the tournament following Liverpool's poor run of form in autumn, prompting a controversial outburst from the player that saw him dropped altogether from the Champions League win at Inter in December.
But rather than his usual wing berth, Salah instead lined up alongside Hugo Ekitike on the right side of a double-pronged attack in Marseille that helped the Reds secure a 3-0 triumph.
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The tactical tweak also saw Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai at the head of a box midfield with Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong offering width from the full-back positions.
And Slot said of Salah's positional change: "That has to do with the way the other team plays. You try to set up your team where your players can play their best game and take in mind the strengths of the other team.
"I always try to find a way of what's best for us to press with certain players in the team and find a way where they can show their quality.
"In the end, what you need to do as a manager is make sure players who can make a difference for you come into good positions.
"With Mo on the inside where he is able to go to the outside as well, with Jeremie who is of course a big threat on the outside with the one-v-ones, which he showed with the second goal.
"With players like Florian and Dom in the pockets, in between the lines, that was the right way to go for this game. The players showed that was the right choice."
Liverpool went ahead in first-half injury time when Dominik Szoboszlai heeded the pre-match advice of head of first-team goalkeeping coaching Xavi Valero by firing a free-kick under the jumping Marseille wall.
Slot, though, is adamant the Reds were once again on the receiving end of another questionable call moments earlier when claims for a handball against Marseille's Timothy Weah were waved away after a VAR check.
"Quality players are calm enough to recognise what has been said to them in a moment like this, but also other moments where you need tactical discipline," said Slot of Szoboszlai.
"It was a moment from Dom, and great work from Xavi as well.
"But I don't think it should have been Dom who took that ball, it should have been Mo. It should have been a penalty."
Speaking to LFC TV, Slot added: "So many times this season we have been on the wrong side of refereeing decisions, but I've also said so many times we should not rely on these wrong decisions, we should still be able to win the game. That's what we have done. That's really positive.
"I'm 100% sure it cannot go on like this with all these decisions that go against us. There will come a time when things go back to normal. In the meantime we have to make sure we perform in the best possible way."
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