Liverpool manager Arne Slot confirmed on Tuesday that superstar Mohamed Salah was profoundly unhappy about being benched for the full 90 minutes of the vital 2-0 Premier League victory over West Ham United on Sunday. However, the Dutchman was quick to praise the Egyptian’s professional attitude, calling him a “superhuman” whose competitive fire remains intact despite the benching.
The tactical gamble by the under-fire Slot, who was attempting to halt a disastrous run of nine defeats in 12 games across all competitions, ultimately paid off, securing a much-needed win and a clean sheet, but it has ignited a debate over the role of Liverpool’s perennial talisman.
Salah, the club’s leading goalscorer in recent history and the Golden Boot winner last season, was an unused substitute at the London Stadium. It was the first time Slot had omitted the winger from the league starting XI and the first time he missed an entire Premier League match due to form or tactical reasons since June 2020.
Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s mid-week clash with Sunderland, Slot called it a “fair assumption” that Salah was disappointed.
“Of course, a player isn’t happy when they’re not playing, and he wasn’t the only one,” Slot stated. “That’s a normal reaction from a player that’s good enough to play for us—and I say that mildly because he’s been so outstanding for this club for so many years.”
Without Salah, Liverpool managed a gritty 2-0 victory, powered by Alexander Isak’s first Premier League goal for the club and a late strike from Cody Gakpo. The clean sheet, only their second in the last six matches, was arguably as crucial as the goals.
Slot was insistent that Salah’s unhappiness was a positive sign, indicating that the Egyptian still possesses the fierce mentality required to perform at the elite level.
“I hope he is not ever going to take it well, because the moment you are going to take it well then you miss the fire that is needed to play at this level,” Slot explained, reinforcing the need for competitive edge in his squad.
The manager attributed the decision to load management, citing a grueling schedule of “four games in 10 days”, and a tactical setup designed to combat West Ham’s high wing-backs, which he felt suited the attributes of others, including Florian Wirtz who started in Salah’s place.
“The way he behaved was as you would expect from the professional he is: he was very supportive for his team-mates and handled himself really well,” Slot added, emphasizing Salah’s discipline despite his personal disappointment.
The benching comes at a critical time, as Slot confirmed that Salah is expected to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Egypt on December 15.
The manager admitted that the club now has to urgently find a way to perform consistently without their primary goal threat. This situation adds further pressure to the current squad’s underperformance, a team that now sits 8th in the league, nine points behind leaders Arsenal.
The major question now facing Liverpool is whether Slot’s calculated risk will ignite the “superhuman” response he desires from Salah for the final crucial games before he departs, or if the benching creates long-term friction in the dressing room.
