Mohamed Salah: Liverpool boss Arne Slot delivers update on forward after restoring him to squad in Brighton win
Mohamed Salah came off the bench and set up Hugo Ekitike's second goal in a comfortable 2-0 win against Brighton that took Liverpool up to sixth in the Premier League in his final game before AFCON and Arne Slot hopes to see the forward bring that form back with him in the New Year
Saturday 13 December 2025 21:14, UK
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said he has "no issue to resolve" with Mohamed Salah after the forward impressed off the bench in Saturday's 2-0 win over Brighton at Anfield.
Salah had been removed from selection for the Champions League win at Inter after he said he no longer had a relationship with Slot following Liverpool's 3-3 draw at Leeds United last Saturday.
But Slot brought Salah back into the squad against Brighton after they held talks on Friday and the substitute made an impact, setting up Hugo Ekitike's second goal from a corner in his final game before leaving for AFCON with Egypt.
"For me, there is no issue to resolve," Slot said after the win that moved Liverpool up to sixth in the table.
"He is now the same as any player. You talk to your players if you are happy or unhappy with things but there is nothing for me to talk about after what happened against Leeds after the game."
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Salah stopped to applaud the Anfield crowd, who sung his name all afternoon after he entered the fray, before departing for AFCON, but gave no indication that this was a farewell for good.
Asked if it was his last game for Liverpool, Slot said: "He wasn't the only player who walked around the pitch thanking the fans because the fans deserved a thank you from us.
"Our players worked incredibly hard to keep a clean sheet and for the first time in weeks, maybe months, we had a little bit of luck.
"Mo is going to go the AFCON now. I hope he is going to do very well and in the meantime we have to play here without him with not that many players available."
Asked if Salah had indicated he wants to stay at Liverpool, Slot added: "I think you already know the answer to that.
"What has been said between the two of us in that conversation stays between us. What you see is what you get to know, that he was in the squad and my first substitution.
"All the other things that have been said in that conversation, I never speak about when I speak to Virgil [van Dijk] or Mo [Salah] or any other player. I never tell you guys what we talk about."
Salah delivered a much-improved performance after replacing the injured Joe Gomez in the first half at Anfield and Slot wants him to bring that form back with him once he returns from AFCON.
Asked if he hopes Salah comes back and continues in that vein, Slot said: "Yeah. He's a Liverpool player and the moment he's [here] I like to use him when we need him," added Slot.
"Today he didn't start as he did a few times before but in the one and a half seasons before he started every game. Today when he came in he had a performance like you would want him to give.
"He was close to another assist - I think he was shocked to see Virgil next to him in that long sprint. He was close to scoring but he was a threat and that's very important. When you play with attackers you are hoping he is a threat to the other team."
Analysis: Salah quietens speculation by doing talking on the pitch
Analysis by Zinny Boswell:
Mohamed Salah did not stop to speak in the mixed zone after Liverpool's win against Brighton. This week he was able to do his talking on the pitch. Arne Slot says there is no issue to resolve and Salah's performance suggests they are on the same page.
The Egypt forward paused after full-time to take in the Anfield crowd before departing for AFCON. There was no sign of this being farewell forever, though. Slot's comments after the match appear to draw a line under the matter.
Brought on 26 minutes in after an injury to Joe Gomez, Salah had more than an hour on the pitch, having been starved of game-time in the last few weeks, and played with a freedom that had been absent this season, though his late miss showed he is not entirely back.
This was a more selfless performance from Salah, who assisted Hugo Ekitike's second goal from a corner, and one that showed he has much more to offer than simply goals. No one on the pitch created more chances (5) despite his reduced minutes.
Salah nearly set up Alexis Mac Allister almost instantly after coming on, setting the tone for the rest of his game. He was probing constantly, searching for a way to break Brighton down, finishing with more final third passes (19) than any of his team-mates.
Only time will tell if there really is no longer an issue to be resolved. The transfer window opens in January and speculation will rumble on until Salah speaks out himself. For now, he has quietened the noise by doing his talking on the pitch.
