Liverpool manager Arne Slot made one of the most contentious decisions of his reign, omitting star forward Mohamed Salah from the starting lineup for Sunday's Premier League encounter with West Ham United.
A Manager Under Pressure
The bold call comes on the heels of a humiliating 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield in the Champions League, a result that piled immense pressure on the Dutch coach. Slot faced the media in a fighting mood during his Thursday press conference, seeking to steady the ship after a disastrous run of form. The reigning English champions have now suffered nine losses in their last 12 matches across all competitions, a stark contrast to the team that dominated the league last season.
This dramatic slump is unfolding despite the club investing close to £500 million on new players during the summer transfer window, an outlay that was expected to cement another campaign of domestic supremacy.
Explaining the Salah Omission
While Salah's own form has mirrored the team's sharp decline, Slot was adamant that his decision to bench the Egyptian international was purely tactical and not a personal punishment. Speaking to Sky Sports, Slot addressed the elephant in the room directly.
"We have more players on the bench than only Mo, but I can understand you ask a question about that," he stated. "We have played four games in 10 days. I have many good players, as you know, so for today I chose a different line-up."
Slot further rationalised his selection by comparing it to previous team sheets. "Sometimes Alex has been on the bench and sometimes Florian. So it’s always about who is on the bench, which I can understand, but it’s also about the players that start, and that’s the XI I chose today."
Multiple Changes to the Side
The exclusion of Salah was part of a broader reshuffle from Slot, who made four changes to the side that was defeated by PSV on Wednesday night. The alterations saw the return of Florian Wirtz, who had been sidelined with a short-term injury, while Joe Gomez was brought into the defence at right-back.
This significant team selection underscores the depth of the crisis at Anfield and Slot's urgent attempts to find a winning formula and reverse the club's fortunes.
