Mohamed Salah’s omission from Arne Slot’s Champions League squad for the midweek trip to Inter Milan sparked doubts about whether he would feature for the Dutchman’s Liverpool again. Those questions were answered on Saturday, when the Egyptian came on in the 25th minute against Brighton & Hove Albion, later drawing widespread attention with a cryptic post on social media.
It remains unclear whether Salah would have featured had Joe Gomez not been forced off injured early on, but once introduced, Dominik Szoboszlai shifted to right-back and Salah took up his usual role on the wing. He made an immediate impact, providing another assist when Hugo Ekitike headed home his inviting delivery, and looked sharp throughout his cameo.
Salah’s performance came after his public frustration at being benched, following a 3-3 draw with Leeds United. The forward admitted he was shocked to sit out an entire match, describing it as a first in his career, and voiced disappointment at what he felt was a lack of support from the club despite his past contributions.
His comments sparked a brief exchange with club legend Jamie Carragher, but Slot appears eager to move on for the good of the team. Salah’s actions after the 2-0 win over Brighton also hinted at a desire to put the situation behind him, as he shared footage on X of his interaction with the Anfield crowd.
In a gesture of appreciation, the 33-year-old took time to applaud supporters around the stadium, smiling as fans chanted his name, underlining the strong backing he continues to receive from the Liverpool faithful.
This was not the first time Salah had used social media to express his feelings, having previously posted gym photos while teammates prepared for the Champions League clash with Inter, which Liverpool won 1-0.
After the Brighton victory, Slot played down any issues regarding Salah’s future. He insisted there was nothing to resolve, explaining that discussions with players are normal and that the winger is treated like any other member of the squad.
Salah is now set to join Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations, running from December 21 to January 18, meaning Liverpool could be without him for several weeks. Slot confirmed he hopes to welcome Salah back after the tournament, praising his impact off the bench and wishing him well at AFCON.
Liverpool, now sixth in the table and unbeaten in four league matches, next face Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur.
