Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has been cleared to return to the squad for Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion, following a decisive conversation with head coach Arne Slot at Kirkby. The move signals a temporary easing of tensions after a turbulent week that raised questions about the forward’s long-term future at Anfield.
Salah was dropped for the midweek Champions League trip to Inter Milan after his fiery post-match remarks at Leeds United, a decision Slot said was made in the best interests of the team. According to sources familiar with the discussions, the pair met again on Friday, leading to Salah’s reinstatement ahead of the Brighton game.
Slot told reporters earlier in the day: “I will have a conversation with Mo this morning and the outcome of that conversation determines how it will look tomorrow. What I need is a conversation with him and the next time I speak about Mo should be with him and not in here.” He added that there had already been “a lot of conversations” involving the player, his representatives, and club officials throughout the week.
When asked whether Salah would need to apologise for his recent comments, Slot declined to say, but he made clear he would welcome the attacker’s continued presence at the club, noting: “I have no reasons for not wanting him to stay.”
Salah, reacting to being sidelined for a third straight match, previously claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” and hinted at a possible January exit. He also suggested he intends to say “goodbye” to supporters on Saturday before joining the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.
While Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes played a key part in the decision to exclude Salah from the trip to Milan, Slot insisted that Saturday’s squad selection rests entirely with him. “I think we decided as a club and I was part of that decision – not to take him to Milan,” Slot said. “But when it comes to the decision-making of the line-up or the squad they always leave it open to me.”
Liverpool now view Salah’s upcoming time away with the Egypt national team as a chance for the situation to cool and for longer-term resolutions to be discussed internally.
