Liverpool manager Arne Slot has addressed speculation surrounding Mohamed Salah’s role after the forward was left out of the starting XI in the last two matches, affirming that the Egyptian remains a key part of his plans.
Salah, 33, has scored just four goals in a slow start to the Premier League season and has played only 45 minutes across Liverpool’s past two games. His reduced playing time has sparked questions about his form and fueled rumors of interest from the Saudi Pro League, which sources say has long admired the Liverpool star. Salah, however, signed a new two-year contract in April, keeping him at Anfield until 2027.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Leeds United, Slot emphasized Salah’s continued importance:
“I think every player in my mind can start, and Mo is an exceptional player for us. He is always in my mind to either start or to come off the bench.”
Salah scored 29 goals last season, helping Liverpool clinch the league title in Slot’s first year. Yet he was an unused substitute in the win at West Ham last Sunday and again began on the bench during Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland at Anfield.
Slot acknowledged the attention surrounding Salah’s situation:
“The chatter, yes, because he deserves that. He has been so influential for me for six or seven years. Normally, people talk about it when he isn’t playing.”
Since joining Liverpool in 2017, Salah has scored 250 goals in 420 appearances, cementing his status as one of the club’s most important modern players.
Captain Virgil van Dijk commented on the situation, stressing that no player is guaranteed a starting spot:
“He is still a fantastic player, and we have to remember why he has been so successful at the club. I need him around as one of the leaders. I’m not worried. He’s disappointed, but that’s absolutely normal. If you’re not disappointed when you’re not playing two games in a row, then there’s an issue. That’s always been the case—no one is undroppable. Everyone has to perform.”
Liverpool currently sits ninth in the Premier League, 11 points behind leaders Arsenal, with just two wins from their last nine league fixtures.
