Arne Slot details the moment that turned the tide for Mo Salah

 

 

A familiar scene at Anfield on Saturday quietly brought closure to a Liverpool storyline that risked dragging on far longer than necessary.

 

Mohamed Salah was back in the matchday squad for the Brighton clash after his highly publicised reaction following Leeds. Although he didn’t start, his return spoke volumes.

 

Introduced earlier than planned because of an injury, the Egyptian immediately made his presence felt — setting up Hugo Ekitike and helping drive a controlled 2–0 victory that extended Liverpool’s unbeaten run to five matches across all competitions.

 

After full-time, Arne Slot addressed the situation head-on, explaining why the timing felt right.

 

“Actions speak louder than words,” the Dutch coach said, speaking via Empire of the Kop on YouTube.

“He was back in the squad, and when I needed my first substitution, I brought him on. He performed exactly how the fans — and I — expect him to.”

 

From Liverpool’s point of view, this was never about punishment — it was about managing the moment.

 

Slot made it clear there was no lingering tension:

“For me, there’s nothing to resolve. He’s the same as every other player now.”

 

That distinction is significant, especially with Salah now heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations, allowing the noise to fade rather than linger through the coming weeks.

 

Equally important was what happened after the final whistle. Salah immediately went over to applaud the Anfield crowd, a gesture that did not go unnoticed.

 

Slot was quick to highlight the collective effort, praising his side’s work to secure a clean sheet — even if fortune favoured them at times.

 

The statistics underline why this approach worked.

 

Salah’s assist marked his 277th Premier League goal involvement for Liverpool, surpassing Wayne Rooney’s record for a single club. After coming on, he created five chances, took three shots, and consistently forced Brighton to reshuffle defensively.

 

Slot summed it up succinctly:

“He was a threat — and that’s what matters.”

 

Shortly after, Salah shut down any lingering media attention, jokingly rejecting further interviews when asked if he was up for another chat:

“Two matches in a row? No!”

 

It felt like a line drawn under the episode. Salah played, influenced the game, acknowledged the fans, and now departs for AFCON with the focus firmly back on football.

 

Quietly, decisively — smart management at work.