Mohamed Salah has played his last-ever game for Liverpool despite rousing Anfield return - body language expert

Salah returned to Anfield on Saturday afternoon as Liverpool secured a league victory over Brighton, a fixture surrounded by intense scrutiny due to the winger’s uncertain future. After being restored to the squad following internal talks, Salah featured during the match and played a role in the win before the focus quickly shifted to events after the final whistle.

Once the game concluded, Salah took his time to walk around the pitch, applauding supporters as the Anfield crowd chanted his name. Banners were visible in the stands celebrating his achievements, while fans responded with prolonged applause that carried a strong sense of occasion. The moment stood out against the backdrop of a turbulent few weeks involving form concerns and off-field tension.

With Salah set to depart imminently for AFCON, the Brighton match has taken on added significance. The emotional scenes and timing of them has fuelled widespread debate about whether Liverpool supporters had just witnessed the final chapter of one of the Merseyside club’s greatest ever players.

Speaking to OLBG, leading UK body language analyst Darren Stanton offered a striking assessment of Salah’s behaviour after the match. He said: “Yeah, basically, Mohamed Salah looked very, very emotional after the Brighton game. I think it was almost like his epitaph. I don't think we're going to see him again, if I'm honest.”

Stanton expanded on why he believes the moment carried such finality, adding: “Yes, he had tears in his eyes when he was clapping along with the crowd, so I think that's his swan song, his kind of farewell. I think even though it's not formal, I think he knows in his heart that he's never going to be in that situation and walk on that pitch again.”

The analyst concluded by focusing on the finer details of Salah’s expressions. “Salah had an expression, it was sadness and disappointment because, obviously, things hadn't gone differently. Principally, he was quite sad, quite emotional, had tears in his eyes, and facially, he was flashing micro-expressions of sadness.”

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Salah’s Liverpool career has been one of the most prolific and influential in the club’s history. Since arriving in 2017, the Egyptian has redefined attacking standards at Anfield, climbing to third on the club’s all-time goal-scoring list and becoming synonymous with the most successful era of the Merseyside club in the 21st century.

The latter stages of 2025, however, have been defined by uncertainty as a dip in form, combined with tactical changes, saw Salah rotated and often benched during a challenging run of results. Salah's public comments following those decisions exposed tension behind the scenes with Arne Slot and placed unprecedented doubt over his long-term future at the club.

Despite those issues, Salah’s bond with supporters has remains strong, as was seen with the reaction at Anfield against Brighton which underlined his enduring popularity and the respect he commands.

Salah will now turn his attention to international duty as he joins Egypt for the upcoming AFCON. The tournament will provide a natural pause point in the season for the Liverpool legend and a potential moment for significant decisions to be made away from the spotlight of Premier League football.

Liverpool, meanwhile, face a defining period as the January transfer window opens. Whether Salah returns to Merseyside or not, the club must prepare for all scenarios, as Slot's side have been heavily linked with Bournemouth superstar Antoine Semenyo, who is said to boast a £65 million ($87m) release clause that will be active this January.

Salah is said to have attracted heavy interest from the Saudi Pro League, with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund ready to delve into the January transfer market to lure him away from Anfield. Major League Soccer has also been in the discussion regarding a move for the Egyptian, but tight budgetary and squad-building constraints in the United States may mean that a move for Salah may only be a pipe dream.