Home » ARTICLES » Arne Slot explains why Mohamed Salah was taken off against RB Leipzig

Arne Slot explains why Mohamed Salah was taken off against RB Leipzig

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By Arindam Talukdar

Liverpool are enjoying one of their best starts to a season, thriving largely thanks to the contributions of their talismanic winger, Mo Salah. In their recent match against RB Leipzig, Salah recorded yet another assist, bringing his tally to an impressive 14 goal involvements in just 12 games—split evenly between seven goals and seven assists.

Although he continues to be an irreplaceable asset on the field, fans remain anxious about his future with the club as his contract nears expiration.

However, when Salah was substituted in the 64th minute, he appeared visibly frustrated, cutting a disgruntled figure on the sidelines. His frustration likely stemmed from the stop-start nature of the game, which prevented Liverpool from establishing a steady rhythm.

Though Salah didn’t hit his usual high standards, he still delivered a solid performance, earning a respectable 7.3 rating on FotMob. Despite this, his reaction hints at his high personal expectations and commitment to driving Liverpool forward.

What it means for the Reds

When asked about his reason for substituting Salah in his post-match press conference, head coach Arne Slot understandably downplayed the situation.

“We have some injuries now, so I have to take good care of the players who have played a lot.” Slot continued, “Mo is one of them and Sunday is a big game coming up again.

“I need to use as [many] players as I can use for these tough weeks and months – because it’s not only weeks, there’s tough months coming up – so they are all prepared to play.”

This approach was likely the module behind Salah’s early substitution, a sensible choice given Liverpool’s packed fixture list. Managing game time carefully helps keep key players fresh for crucial upcoming matches in this demanding season.

Liverpool’s Next five fixtures as per skysports



Liverpool are gearing up for a challenging run, with back-to-back clashes against Arsenal, Brighton, Bayer Leverkusen, and Aston Villa, all of whom are performing well in their leagues. Amid this demanding schedule, Salah’s visible frustration at being substituted is actually a promising sign for his future at the club. Despite ongoing contract negotiations, his passion and dedication to Liverpool remain as strong as ever, reflecting the same commitment he showed in his early days at Anfield.

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Salah’s determination to break records, drive victories, and maintain his elite level of play shines through clearly. While rumours of a Saudi Arabia move linger due to its financial allure, it’s apparent that his true motivation lies in competing at the top tier of world football. His performances continue to match the best in the game, and based on his visible commitment, he doesn’t appear to be leaving Anfield anytime soon.

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