Mohamed Salah’s Instant Response to Being Benched by Arne Slot Again Says It All
Mohamed Salah was omitted from Liverpool’s starting XI once again for their match against Sunderland.
Arne Slot has shed light on how Salah reacted to being placed on the bench for a second straight Premier League game — and his response says everything about his character.
This marks only the second time in Salah’s nine-year Liverpool career that he has been benched in back-to-back fixtures.
On Wednesday night, just days after being dropped for the game against West Ham, the struggling forward was again named among the substitutes, this time against an in-form Sunderland side.
Slot’s decision dominated the pre-match headlines, with Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexander Isak all selected ahead of him — the latter also searching for form this season.
Speaking before kick-off, Slot revealed that Salah handled the decision exactly as a top professional should.
“I’ve kept the same team. It’s about finding the balance between continuity and freshness,” Slot explained. “It’s clear we’ll need the whole squad tonight because some players starting can’t manage another full 90. More than ever, we need more than 11 players.”
He continued: “Everyone has the chance to come on, and Mo is definitely one of them. It’s a positive that we have someone like Mo available from the bench. We didn’t have a long chat — we spoke plenty after the Frankfurt game, and this time, not as much.
“He reacted the way you would hope — like a top professional,” Slot added. “He trains brilliantly and stays positive with his teammates. He sets the example when he’s playing, and now he’s setting the example in how to behave when you’re not.”
Despite Salah’s remarkable consistency over the years, his start to the season has been unusually quiet.
The 33-year-old has scored just five goals in 18 appearances across all competitions, with his last coming in the 2–0 win against Aston Villa on November 1.
“It’s not something he likes, and it’s not something Liverpool fans or I like either,” Slot admitted after the West Ham match. “A player who has done so much for us — you always want him out there.
“I’d rather see Mo on the pitch scoring goals and producing moments of magic than see the cameras on him when he’s not involved.”
Slot added: “He’s been massively important for us for so many years, and he will be again in the coming days — and it really is days, as he’ll soon head off to the Africa Cup of Nations.”
Slot clearly felt compelled to address Liverpool’s lack of cutting edge in attack, and Salah has found himself on the receiving end of that decision. Whether it’s the right call remains up for debate.
