Arne Slot Makes Bold Statement About Mohamed Salah's Liverpool Destiny

Liverpool experienced what their future might look like without depending on Mohamed Salah during Sunday's crucial 2–0 victory against West Ham United in the Premier League. However, Arne Slot emphasized that benching the Anfield legend wasn't signaling his departure.

Slot had been under pressure to sideline Salah for several weeks, as Liverpool endured what turned into a streak of nine losses in 12 matches across all tournaments before meeting the Hammers. Following the Reds' 4–1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven, it marked the first occasion since the 1953–54 campaign that any Liverpool squad had suffered three straight losses by three-goal differences.

Salah faced criticism for insufficient effort for the squad, leaving teammates vulnerable, while his scoring and creative output had diminished just months after what was arguably his finest season led to a generous contract extension offer through 2027. It's worth noting that Salah was particularly affected by the unexpected death of teammate and dear friend Diogo Jota.

"If you're among the players they've brought in and you're sitting on the bench watching him not putting in effort, what kind of signal does that convey?" Wayne Rooney commented last week.

Nevertheless, supporters were surprised to find Salah listed among the reserves when Liverpool's starting eleven against West Ham was announced one hour before kickoff—Florian Wirtz took his typical position instead.

Slot clarified before the match in east London that the choice was driven by Liverpool's packed December schedule—"We have four matches in 10 days"—and reinforced this explanation afterward.

"Mo has enjoyed an incredible journey at this club and will continue to have an excellent future here because he's such an exceptional talent," Slot commented after the game. "Sometimes you must make decisions about team selection, and you attempt to choose the optimal lineup for each individual match.

"Given how [West Ham] positioned themselves, with a fullback [Malick Diouf] who stays consistently high and a winger [Mateus Fernandes] who constantly moves inside, I believed this approach could benefit the team. But as I mentioned, [Salah] has been tremendously valuable to this club and will remain important for this club moving forward."

Alexander Isak netted his debut Liverpool goal to put the defending Premier League titleholders on track for their first league victory in a month, before Cody Gakpo added a decisive second strike.

'Four Games in 10 Days'—Liverpool's Packed Schedule

Slot 'Relieved' to End Liverpool's Worst Streak in 71 Years

Following three crushing defeats to Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and PSV spanning the November international pause, Slot couldn't have been more pleased to secure a win. Some suggested the Dutch manager might have only another week to preserve his position. While he dismissed a recent owners' meeting as merely a routine discussion, defeating West Ham will have at least kept any potential threats at bay.

"There's certainly a sense of relief because when you've suffered so many defeats, securing a victory becomes crucial," he stated.

"The positive aspect was that for the first time in numerous matches, the opposition's initial opportunity didn't result in a goal. It's occurred repeatedly that when our opponents get their first chance, they score. Then the entire match dynamic changes as we've witnessed so often recently."