Salah returns to Liverpool bench for Brighton clash after Slot firestorm

Egyptian striker returned to the champions' matchday squad having been left out of the travelling party entirely for the midweek Champions League trip to Italy

Sat, 13 Dec, 2025 - 14:09

Staff

Arne Slot has restored Mohamed Salah to the Liverpool bench for Saturday afternoon's clash with Brighton — a match the Egyptian striker suggested could be his last in Liverpool colours.

Salah returned to the champions' matchday squad having been left out of the travelling party entirely for the midweek Champions League trip to Italy where a little of the pressure on Slot was relieved with a 1-0 victory over Inter Milan.

Salah's explosive post-match interview at Elland Road last weekend had heaped more pressure on the Liverpool manager. Salah suggested he had been "thrown under the bus" by the Reds and said that he no longer had any relationship with Slot.

With the Egypt squad gathering for the upcoming African Cup of Nations early next week, Saturday's meeting with Brighton is Salah's last Premier League involvement until the New Year at the earliest. However, the veteran said in that post-game outburst last week that he would ask family to attend Saturday's game because it could be his last ever for Liverpool.

Salah's place in the team has been lost after a series of underwhelming performances where he failed to click with new attacking additions Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. He will take his place alongside Isak on the bench at Anfield after Slot made two changes to his lineup with Wirtz brought in for Isak and Hungarian Milos Kerkez installed at left back in favour of Andy Robertson.