Salah shows Liverpool how much he still offers vs. Brighton

if this is the end mohammed salah But liverpoolIt could hardly have been a more fitting finale. Seven days after his provocative interview at Elland Road, one of Anfield’s greatest players of all time added another personal accolade to his impressive collection as they beat Arne Slott’s side. brighton and hove albion 2-0 In Premier League,

with their help hugo akitike In the second half, Salah overtook Wayne Rooney to claim the record for goal contributions by a player for a single club in the Premier League era, with 188 goals and 89 assists. He could have added to that tally had he not missed a brilliant late chance to put Liverpool 3-0 up in front of the Kop.

Those two incidents alone are a microcosm of Slott’s dilemma as he tries to determine where his aging superstar should fit into his team’s evolving ecosystem. Against Brighton, 33-year-old Salah was not at his best, yet it was impossible to deny his impact on the game after being brought off the bench in the first half.

, Salah’s last Liverpool game? Slott wants him to stay, ‘no problem’
– Marcotti: Don’t turn Liverpool’s chaos into Arne Slot vs Mohamed Salah
, Salah creates Premier League history on return to Liverpool

Salah has found himself in the midst of a storm of his own making this week, following his sensational claims that Liverpool had “thrown him under the bus” amid his recent poor run of form. Attempting to quell the noise, the club hierarchy – in consultation with Slote – left him out of the Italy traveling party in midweek; The decision was vindicated in Liverpool’s 1–0 win over Inter Milan at the San Siro.

But a player with Salah’s almost divine status was never going to be out of the spotlight for long, and after a positive chat with Slote at the club’s AXA training center on Friday he was reinstated into the matchday squad against Brighton. Although he was only named on the bench, the forward remained the ringmaster in this particular media circus, with the cameras following him as he warmed up alongside the substitutes prematch.

If it is Salah who represents Liverpool’s illustrious past, it is Akitike who is the most promising symbol of their future. The Frenchman wasted no time in making his mark in this contest, scoring within 46 seconds after a misplaced pass to put the hosts ahead. Yankuba MintehThe Brighton forward’s error could have given him an early Christmas present, but Akitike finished with confidence, and doubled his tally for the afternoon when he nodded home Salah’s corner after the break,

While some of Liverpool’s summer signings – including a £125 million alexander isaac – Has struggled to live up to his billing since moving to Merseyside, Akitike has thrived under pressure. He now has seven league goals for the Premier League champions this season.

But, inevitably, it was Salah who became the story when he was brought off the bench to replace the injured defender. joe gomez In the 26th minute. He made an impact almost immediately when he got tired alexis mac allister Just seconds after his introduction inside the penalty area, setting the tone for a typically dynamic display. egypt international.

Salah occasionally lacked a sharp edge – both in terms of his passing and his finishing – emblematic of the fact that he is no longer a player operating at the peak of his powers. But, while Father Time may well be catching up to him, the forward showed against Brighton that he still has a lot to offer.

“He was not involved in the game against Milan, I spoke to him the day before the game,” Slot said in the post-match press conference. “I never mince words about what I talk about with players and I’m not going to make any exceptions now, but actions speak louder than words and he was in the team again. When I had to make my first replacement I brought him in and he performed exactly how every fan, including myself, would want him to perform.”

game

Slott on Salah’s future at Liverpool: ‘You already know the answer’

Arne Slott has spoken about Mohamed Salah’s future at Liverpool after his performance against Brighton.

For the Liverpool boss, there was a lot to like about Salah and his team’s performance. The Reds have yet to recapture the sense of invincibility that underpinned their procession to the title last season, but they are now unbeaten in five matches in all competitions, many playing with the swagger that has eluded them for most of the campaign.

Brighton had chances at Anfield – attackers diego gomez forced a great save from Alison Baker in the first half – but the individual errors that have plagued Liverpool for much of this period were absent from Fabian Herzeler’s largely assured performance against a fast-moving side. At the full-time whistle, all eyes were once again on Salah as he walked around the pitch, applauding the supporters and enjoying their praise. It didn’t feel like a goodbye, although the forward will depart temporarily on Sunday to take part in Africa Cup of Nations,

After the game Slott could not give a definitive answer as to whether Salah had played his final game for the club, but the dominant feeling from the Dutchman and almost everyone inside Anfield was that Salah still had at least a few more chapters in his Liverpool love story.

The Egypt international was all smiles as he made his way to the mixed area after the match, politely declining the opportunity to speak to journalists to whom he had poured his heart out only a week earlier.

“Two weeks in a row?” He quipped humorously. “No.”

On this occasion perhaps his actions spoke louder than his words. Salah didn’t look like a guy who was headed for the exit. For your own sake and that of Liverpool, it would be wise to talk your way out on the pitch from now on.