Arne Slot reveals the bold call that completely reshaped Mo Salah’s story
A familiar sight at Anfield on Saturday subtly brought an end to a Liverpool narrative that risked dragging on longer than necessary.
Mohamed Salah was back in the matchday squad against Brighton after his widely discussed post-Leeds reaction. Although he didn’t start, his contribution spoke volumes.
The Egyptian was introduced earlier than planned due to an injury, set up Hugo Ekitike for a goal, and played a key part in a 2–0 victory that extended our unbeaten run to five matches across all competitions.
After the final whistle, Arne Slot shed light on the situation, explaining why the timing of the decision felt right.
“I believe actions matter more than words,” the Dutchman said, speaking via Empire of the Kop on YouTube.
“He was back in the squad, and when I needed to make my first change, I brought him on. He delivered exactly the kind of performance I think every supporter — myself included — wanted to see today.”
Why Slot’s management of Salah was crucial for Liverpool
From our point of view, the situation was about maintaining control rather than handing out punishment.
The 47-year-old made it clear there was no ongoing problem, stating: “As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing to fix. He’s no different from any other player now.”
That perspective is significant, especially with Salah heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations, giving the story time to fade instead of lingering around the club for the next few weeks.
Just as importantly, the Egyptian showed his appreciation after the match, heading straight over to applaud Liverpool’s supporters once the final whistle blew.
The manager was quick to underline that the respect is mutual.
“I think the players put in a huge shift today to secure the clean sheet,” he added, while also acknowledging that luck played its part at times.
The statistics underline exactly why this approach paid off.
Salah’s assist moved him to 277 Premier League goal contributions for Liverpool, surpassing Wayne Rooney’s long-standing single-club record.
After coming on, he created five chances, took three shots, and repeatedly forced Brighton to reshuffle defensively.
Slot kept it simple in his assessment: “He was a threat, and that’s crucial.”
Soon after, Salah shut down any extra media attention. When reporters asked if he was open to speaking again, the No.11 replied bluntly: “Two games in a row? No!”
For us, that felt like a clear line being drawn. Salah featured, made an impact, acknowledged the supporters, and now heads off to AFCON with the spotlight firmly back where it should be.
That’s calm, intelligent man-management — and why this moment could quietly turn out to be decisive.
You can watch Slot’s post-Brighton press conference on Empire of the Kop’s YouTube channel.
