Mohamed Salah will be back in the Liverpool squad to face Brighton today after holding fresh talks with Arne Slot.
Salah was left out for the Champions League win over Inter Milan in midweek as a result of his extraordinary outburst that followed the dramatic 3-3 draw with Leeds.
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The forward was once again left as an unused substitute at Elland Road but spoke to reporters afterwards and claimed that he was being made a scapegoat for the Reds’ poor form this season and had been “thrown under the bus” amid a breakdown in his relationship with Slot.
Slot refused to confirm at his pre-match press conference whether Salah would be back involved against Brighton, pending the outcome of further discussions between the pair.
However, it is now understood after positive talks that he will be in the squad at Anfield to bid at least a temporary farewell to supporters before heading off to Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt, though his future beyond that remains unclear.
Salah may have to settle for a familiar bench spot upon his recall to the Liverpool matchday squad, as Slot may choose to stick with Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike as a strike partnership - especially with Cody Gakpo still out with a muscle injury.
Isak, however, picked up a knock in the first half of the Inter match, and Slot suggested that he may not be able to start against Brighton. Given he managed to complete 68 minutes at the San Siro, though, it does not appear to be a significant issue.
Florian Wirtz, who won the decisive penalty off the bench in Italy in midweek, is pushing for a return to the starting XI. The German could replace Curtis Jones in a diamond midfield alongside Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Slot does have a big decision to make at left-back as the more attack-minded Milos Kerkez may get the nod over Andy Robertson.
Jeremie Frimpong is closing in on a return to action following a hamstring injury, but is unlikely to be risked from the start after six weeks out which means Joe Gomez should keep his place at right-back as Conor Bradley is suspended after picking up a fifth booking of the season on his return from injury against Leeds.
Federico Chiesa is available again having recovered from illness, while Wataru Endo is set for weeks on the sidelines with an ankle problem. Giovanni Leoni remains a long-term absentee.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Wirtz; Isak, Ekitike
Injured: Gakpo, Endo, Leoni
Doubts: Frimpong, Isak
Suspended: Bradley
Time and date: 3pm GMT on Saturday December 13, 2025
Venue: Anfield
