“I Was Thrown Under the Bus” – Salah Set for Liverpool Return After Slot Talks
Mohamed Salah is back in Liverpool’s plans, at least for now. After days of tension and public fallout, the Egyptian forward is expected to be included in the Reds’ squad for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Brighton following fresh talks with manager Arne Slot.
The decision comes after a turbulent week in which Salah was left out of Liverpool’s midweek UEFA Champions League win over Inter Milan, a move that followed his explosive post-match interview after the 3-3 draw with Leeds United. What looked like a full-blown breakdown may now be shifting into damage-control mode.
Why This Blew Up
Salah, 33, has endured an unfamiliar role in recent weeks. Against Leeds, he started on the bench for the third straight match, a situation that clearly cut deep. After that game, the forward claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club and suggested his relationship with Slot had fractured.
Liverpool responded forcefully by excluding him entirely from the squad for the Inter Milan match. Officially, the decision was framed as internal management. Unofficially, it signaled that the club was unwilling to let public criticism go unanswered.
Yet sources indicate that conversations between Salah and Slot resumed on Friday, with all sides agreeing that reintegrating the player for the Brighton match was the most pragmatic outcome.
Timing Matters
This story carries extra weight because of what comes next. Salah is scheduled to leave on Dec. 15 to represent Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations. Before he goes, Saturday’s match could be one of his final appearances for Liverpool, at least this season.
Salah himself fueled speculation last weekend by hinting that the Brighton game might be his last in a Liverpool shirt. That comment landed heavily given his long-standing links to Saudi Pro League clubs and the growing sense that his future at Anfield is unresolved.
If no agreement is reached with Slot and the club’s hierarchy, a January exit remains a real possibility.
Slot’s Perspective
Speaking at his press conference on Friday, Slot struck a conciliatory tone. The Liverpool manager insisted he sees no reason for Salah to leave and emphasized the volume of communication over the past week.
“We have spoken a lot in the last week,” Slot said. “After the Sunderland game there were a lot of conversations between his representatives and ours, between him and me, and today I will speak to him again.”
Slot was also clear about where authority lies. While Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes and Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of Football Michael Edwards are involved in broader discussions, squad decisions rest with him.
“I think we decided as a club not to take him to Inter Milan, and I was part of that decision,” Slot explained. “But when it comes to the lineup or the squad, that is entirely up to me.”
That clarification matters. It frames Salah’s omission not as a boardroom exile but as a managerial call, one that Slot now appears willing to reverse.
What It Means for Liverpool
Liverpool’s form adds another layer of pressure. The Reds are unbeaten in their last four matches in all competitions, but the league picture is far less convincing. Just two wins from their last ten Premier League games have left them drifting in the title race and fighting to maintain top-four momentum.
In that context, sidelining one of the club’s greatest modern players is a luxury few managers can afford. Salah remains Liverpool’s most reliable attacking outlet, even amid tactical tweaks and rotation under Slot.
The question is whether this is a genuine reset or merely a ceasefire.
Bigger Implications
For Salah, this episode touches on legacy as much as minutes. After years as Liverpool’s talisman, being benched and publicly contradicted represents a sharp shift in status. For Slot, handling this situation is an early test of authority at a club with strong personalities and high expectations.
Fans, meanwhile, are left weighing uncomfortable possibilities. Is this the beginning of the end for Salah at Anfield, or a necessary confrontation before one final push together?
Saturday’s team sheet may offer short-term clarity. The long-term answers will come later, once Salah returns from international duty and Liverpool decide whether reconciliation or separation best serves their future.