Mohamed Salah Omission Spoke Volumes – but Arne Slot Has Just Made an Even Bolder Liverpool Call

Arne Slot caused a stir on Sunday when he named his Liverpool starting XI to face West Ham United, with Mohamed Salah relegated to the bench. Having been an ever-present in the Premier League throughout last season, it was the first time the Egyptian had been omitted from the starting line-up since Slot succeeded Jürgen Klopp.

Coincidentally, the last time Salah began a Premier League match on the bench also came away to West Ham, during the infamous touchline disagreement with Klopp in April 2024. As he walked through the mixed zone at the London Stadium after that match, the then-31-year-old memorably warned that “there is going to be fire” if he stopped to speak to reporters.

That 2-2 draw effectively extinguished Liverpool’s title challenge at the end of a faltering campaign, adding greater context to Salah’s frustration after only being introduced in the 79th minute—moments after Michail Antonio had levelled for the hosts.

Yet this time, 582 days later, Salah saw even less action.

On this occasion he remained an unused substitute, leaving no room for confrontation with Slot or post-match outbursts as he departed the stadium. Instead, he watched on as the Liverpool manager introduced Hugo Ekitike for Alexander Isak on 68 minutes, Curtis Jones for Florian Wirtz in the 75th minute, and finally Andy Robertson 10 minutes later after Milos Kerkez suffered from cramp.

Slot’s selection was ultimately vindicated, with Liverpool bouncing back from successive heavy defeats to Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven by securing a much-needed 2-0 victory in the capital.

As a result, Salah’s omission attracted little attention once the final whistle had blown.

Given the forward’s struggles to hit previous heights this season—and with his recent form attracting increasing scrutiny—Slot’s decision was understandable. Liverpool’s wider downturn made rotation inevitable, prompting debate over whether Salah should again be left out for Wednesday’s trip to Sunderland.

Slot sought to temper the noise both before and after the match, emphasising Liverpool’s congested fixture schedule and the depth of options available to him.

“We have more players on the bench than just Mo, but I understand why you ask the question,” he told Sky Sports. “We’re playing four games in 10 days.

I have many good players, so today I chose this line-up. Sometimes Isak has been on the bench, sometimes Wirtz. It’s about more than those who don’t start—it’s also about those who do.

It’s not an easy decision. I have more than 11 very good players—it’s not the first time I haven’t played Mo, just as I’ve chosen not to play Isak, Wirtz or Ekitike.”

Liverpool looked sharper without Salah as they ended a run of nine defeats in 12 matches, raising an unprecedented question: should he remain out of the starting XI for the first sustained spell of his Anfield career?

Since joining the club in 2017, Salah has delivered every major honour and amassed 250 goals and 113 assists in 419 appearances. He has started 383 of those matches and missed only 46 matchday squads overall—just 15 of those absences coming in either the Premier League or Champions League. His durability has been as remarkable as his output.

However, those returns have waned this season. The reigning Premier League Golden Boot and Playmaker winner has just four goals and two assists from 12 appearances, inviting increased scrutiny and prompting Slot’s boldest decision yet.

Bench him? Understandable.
Leave him unused altogether? Revealing.

When Liverpool host Sunderland, all eyes will be on the team announcement—and on Salah’s response, whether he starts, comes on from the bench or is overlooked again. A second successive omission would speak volumes about the direction in which Slot is steering the club.

Regardless of what happens next, Liverpool must prepare to cope without him during the Africa Cup of Nations later this month. And despite Salah signing a new two-year contract in April, succession planning was always inevitable. While the Reds did not recruit a specialist right-winger in the summer, the signings of Isak, Wirtz and Ekitike were clearly geared towards reshaping Liverpool’s attack for the future.

The reality is unavoidable: Salah’s decorated Anfield journey is far closer to its conclusion than its beginning.

Sunday’s victory—earned with the Egyptian watching on as an unused spectator—may prove to be the first meaningful glimpse of what Liverpool look like beyond the era of their long-serving “Egyptian King”.