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Mohamed Salah played a key role in Liverpool’s vital win against Brighton on Saturday after an explosive interview raised questions over his future at the club, as Arsenal avoided a major embarrassment against Wolves.
The Egypt forward, the subject of intense scrutiny in the build-up to the game at Anfield, came off the substitutes’ bench to huge cheers in the first half, replacing injured defender Joe Gomez.
The home team, whose Premier League title defence has collapsed after a shocking run of results, were leading 1-0 at the time, with France forward Hugo Ekitike on the scoresheet after just 46 seconds.
Brighton squandered a number of opportunities to level, and Ekitike scored his second with half an hour to go, heading home Salah’s corner.
The Egyptian superstar now has 277 goal involvements for Liverpool in the Premier League — 188 goals and 89 assists — a new record by a player for a single club in the competition, overtaking Wayne Rooney’s mark for Manchester United.
Saturday marked a dramatic change of mood around Salah, who last week accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after he was left on the bench for the 3-3 draw at Leeds.
That was the third match in a row that he had been named among the replacements.
The 33-year-old winger also said he had no relationship with manager Arne Slot in his extraordinary outburst and was omitted from the midweek Champions League trip to Inter Milan, which Liverpool won 1-0.
After Saturday’s win, Slot said there was “no issue to resolve” with Salah, though uncertainty remains over his long-term future at the club.
“For me he’s now the same as any other player,” said the Dutchman.
“You talk to your players if you’re happy or unhappy with things, but there’s nothing for me to talk about after what happened against Leeds, after the game.”
He added: “I spoke to him yesterday and I think, as I usually never say anything about (what) we talk about, I’m not going to make an exception now, but I think actions speak louder than what has been said.
“He was in the squad again and when I had to make my first substitutions, I brought him in. And he performed as I think every fan, including me, would like him to perform today.”
Salah will now depart for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and could potentially be absent for five weeks.
The 2-0 win — Liverpool’s first at Anfield since November 4 — lifts Slot’s men to sixth in the table.
But their title defence is in ruins after a terrible run of just two wins in 10 league matches before the visit of Brighton.
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