Liverpool boss Arne Slot forced to explain himself as Mohamed Salah is benched for second consecutive match in Sunderland draw

Salah, who has netted 250 goals for the Reds through 420 appearances, failed to inspire Liverpool as they dropped more precious points in a 1-1 draw with the Black Cats. He is unaccustomed to filling an impact role, having become a talismanic presence at Anfield.

The 33-year-old is, however, having to make peace with rest and rotation in 2025-26, with bench duty being seen in domestic and Champions League competition. Slot has mixed things up in a bid to rediscover the kind of consistency that brought another top-flight title to Merseyside last season.

Explaining the decision not to include Salah in his starting XI against Sunderland, Slot told Sky Sports: “I play the same team, it's a balance between continuity and freshness. It's obvious and clear we need the full squad tonight because a few who start aren't able to play a full 90 again. More than ever, we need more than 11 players tonight. All the players have a chance to come in, Mo is definitely one of them. It's a good thing we have players like Mo available on the bench.

“We haven't had a long conversation. We spoke a lot after the Frankfurt game, and now not as much. He reacts like you want, a top professional. He trains really good and is positive towards his team-mates. He's an example when he plays, and now he's an example of how to act when you don't play.”

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While Slot has talked up Salah’s reaction to being dropped, ex-Reds midfielder Jamie Redknapp believes that a parting of ways - a matter of months after signing a lucrative contract extension through to 2027 - is becoming inevitable.

Redknapp said: “He's a Premier League legend, a Liverpool icon and that's why I don't think this is going to end well. It will be a tricky situation now because the manager, when you've got someone who is so talented, so vital to the team, in and around the changing room and how they behave and perform in training. He's not going to want to warm the bench, he hasn't signed this contract to wind down his career. He wants to play consistently, week in, week out.

“I'll be gobsmacked if he fulfils the last two years of his contract, or year and a half. I don't think this aids the situation one iota. Nothing in football would surprise me - whether it's in January or perhaps in the summer.

“If the right club were to come along... a lot will be determined by this man. He's earned that privilege. And if he says: 'Look, if I'm not going to be a starter for you, I'm not one of those players who is going to linger. I will go wherever it takes.' I still believe he will want to play in Europe.

“The first thing we're all going to say is he'll go to Saudi - he's obviously a legend in that part of the world - or he'll want to go to the US, but this for me now is a real breaking point in the relationship. He'll feel let down and, like you say, maybe even blamed for what's going on. But while the team is winning without him... I saw those stats and they're pretty good when he doesn't play. No one is indispensable, time waits for no one, and it's going to be difficult now.”

Liverpool are languishing eighth in the Premier League table, 11 points adrift of leaders Arsenal. They will be back in action on Saturday when heading to Leeds, with Slot admitting that he has “an idea who will start” at Elland Road but “won’t say” if Salah is in line for a recall.