Mohamed Salah soaked in the atmosphere at Anfield after Liverpool’s 2-0 Premier League win over Brighton, applauding supporters on all four sides of the stadium as fans serenaded their “Egyptian King.” Lingering on the pitch and waving toward the main stand where his family sat, the moment felt like a possible farewell — though only a temporary one.
Salah will depart for Cairo in the coming days to join Egypt’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, but Liverpool manager Arne Slot made it clear after the match that there are no immediate issues regarding the forward’s status at the club.
“There is no issue for me to resolve,” Slot said. “For me, he is now the same as any other player.”
The comments followed a turbulent week that began with Salah’s emotional outburst after last weekend’s match at Leeds, where he claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” and suggested the Brighton game could be his last for Liverpool. He was subsequently left out of the squad for the midweek Champions League victory over Inter Milan.
However, Salah returned to the matchday squad against Brighton and came on as a first-half substitute after Joe Gomez was forced off injured. The 33-year-old was warmly received by Anfield, with no boos — only applause.
While he did not score, Salah provided the assist for Hugo Ekitike’s second goal, taking his total to 277 goal involvements in 302 Premier League appearances for Liverpool — a competition record for a single club, surpassing Wayne Rooney’s tally at Manchester United.
Slot confirmed he wants Salah back after the Africa Cup of Nations, with talks between both parties expected to continue during the winger’s international duty.
“He was in the squad and my first substitution,” Slot said. “Actions speak louder than words.”
Salah is expected to miss up to eight matches if Egypt reach the Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco on January 18. Despite his absence from the starting XI in five consecutive games, Liverpool remain unbeaten — a fact that underlines Slot’s growing confidence in his squad depth.
Former players and pundits praised Salah’s performance against Brighton, with Ashley Williams describing it as “like the old Salah,” while Stephen Warnock noted that the forward is still rebuilding confidence after a difficult week.
For now, there is no definitive answer on Salah’s long-term future at Anfield. As he departs for international duty, questions remain — but Liverpool fans may take comfort in knowing this goodbye, at least, is only for now.
