Salah Shines Off the Bench as Slot Declares 'No Issue to Resolve' at Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has decisively downplayed any lingering tensions with Mohamed Salah, stating there was "no issue to resolve" after the Egyptian forward’s influential substitute appearance in the Reds’ 2-0 victory over Brighton on Saturday. The performance came just a week after Salah's explosive public comments about the club.

The match at Anfield provided a rapid resolution to the drama. Hugo Ekitike opened the scoring just 46 seconds in, and Salah, introduced in the 26th minute, set up the Frenchman for the second goal on the hour mark.

Slot confirmed that Salah was excluded from the midweek Champions League trip to Inter Milan specifically because of his post-match interview following the 3-3 draw with Leeds, where Salah accused the club of throwing him "under the bus" and claimed he had "no relationship" with the manager.

Speaking after the Brighton win, Slot sought to close the door on the controversy: "For me he's now the same as any other player," he said. While acknowledging that managers talk to players about issues, he emphasized, "there's nothing for me to talk about after what happened against Leeds, after the game."

The manager suggested that actions speak louder than words, noting Salah's immediate impact: "He was in the squad again and when I had to make my first substitutions, I brought him in. And he performed as I think every fan, including me, would like him to perform today."

Salah, who invited his family to the game amid swirling speculation about a move to the Saudi Pro League, will now depart for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. Slot laughed off suggestions that this could have been Salah's final appearance, wishing him well: "Mo is going to go to the AFCON now, I hope he's going to do very well, and in the meantime we have to play here without him..." The focus now shifts to how Liverpool will cope without their star man during his absence.