Mohamed Salah claimed the record for the most Premier League goal involvements for a single club on his return to Liverpool’s squad, assisting one of Hugo Ekitike’s two goals in a 2-0 win over Brighton. Having held clear-the-air talks with Arne Slot on Friday following a public spat with his head coach, Salah was named […]
Arne Slot may have won his battle of wits with Mohamed Salah, but he remains under pressure as Liverpool manager. Recent wins over West Ham and Inter Milan have helped his cause, but with the defending champions 10th in the Premier League standings after 15 matches, it is imperative that regular wins are picked up over the coming weeks.
Liverpool host Brighton this weekend, before matches against Tottenham, Wolves and Leeds over the festive period. Should they fail to win the majority of these fixtures, there will be more questions about whether Slot deserves to be one to stay at Anfield.
If results do not continue to pick up, Slot could be on his way out, at which points candidates to replace him will be drawn up.
Steven Gerrard open to joining Liverpool as interim manager
Steven Gerrard on punditry duty during Liverpool 1-4 PSV (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Steven Gerrard is one possible candidate, with the Liverpool legend currently out of work. According to Football Insider, he would jump at the chance to come in and lead his former club on an interim basis.
The appointment of an interim manager would likely be Liverpool’s approach if Slot were to be sacked, given the lack of available candidates mid-season. Gerrard, who recently ripped into his former side, would be well-placed to come in, given his strong affinity with the club and its supporters.
For the most part, it has not worked for Liverpool this season. Things may have picked up slightly in recent weeks, but during this period, they still dropped points at home to Sunderland and away to Leeds United.
Slot still has credit in the bank after leading Liverpool to the Premier League title last season, but if they continue to remain outside of the top places in the standings, it would be no surprise to see him relieved of his duties as manager.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has spoken out on the situation with star player Mohamed Salah as it remains to be seen if he’ll play against Brighton this weekend.
Liverpool host Brighton at Anfield on Saturday at 3pm, and all eyes will be on Salah, who was dropped from Slot’s squad to face Inter Milan in midweek, having been on the bench for the last three Premier League games.
The Egypt international did not respond well to being dropped to the bench, having publicly criticised Slot in an explosive interview after the 3-3 draw away to Leeds United.
Slot himself then responded by axing Salah from his matchday squad altogether in the Champions League, but it seems he’s open to the 33-year-old returning.
Mohamed Salah in action for Liverpool (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Arne Slot on talks with Mohamed Salah
Speaking ahead of the weekend game, Slot told his press conference, as quoted by BBC Sport, that he’s already had a lot of talks with Salah’s representatives and more meetings are scheduled to see if he’ll end up playing against Brighton.
“I will have a conversation with Mo,” the Dutch tactician said.
“The outcome of that conversation determines how things will look [on Saturday].
Tensions at Liverpool have reached a boiling point as senior figures Richard Hughes, Michael Edwards, and manager Arne Slot prepare to hold emergency talks with Mohamed Salah following the forward’s controversial comments that have thrown the club into turmoil.
The Egyptian star’s recent public outburst, in which he accused the club of “throwing him under the bus” after being dropped for three consecutive games, has left Liverpool officials shocked and frustrated.
While Salah remains one of the team’s most important figures, his remarks have raised serious questions about his attitude, professionalism, and long-term commitment to the club, a trusted source on X has reported.
Salah’s frustrations stem from being benched for recent matches, despite his strong record and leadership role in the squad.
The 33-year-old was left out of the starting XI for three fixtures, one of which he entered at halftime and has since expressed his discontent both privately and publicly.
Liverpool hierarchy are siding with manager Arne Slot
Liverpool insiders, however, have been quick to defend Slot’s decision-making, insisting that team selection is based purely on tactical and physical considerations, not personal differences.
The club hierarchy fears Salah’s comments could undermine Slot’s authority and set a dangerous precedent within the dressing room.
The aim is to rebuild trust while setting firm boundaries for player conduct under Slot’s management.
Liverpool remain hopeful that Salah will reaffirm his commitment. However, sources close to the club say that if the situation doesn’t improve, the Reds are prepared to explore serious offers for the winger.
Reports from the Gulf suggest that intermediaries have already begun informal discussions, with Saudi representatives willing to offer Liverpool a significant fee.
Although Liverpool’s preference remains to keep Salah until the end of his contract, the club wants clarity before the January transfer window.
The upcoming meeting could prove decisive. If handled correctly, it might restore order and reaffirm the club’s united front. But if the fallout deepens, Liverpool could be forced into one of the most high-profile transfer sagas of 2026.
Liverpool are understood to have agreed personal terms with Antoine Semenyo whilst also matching Manchester City’s offer to the Bournemouth forward.
I can reveal exclusively for CaughtOffside that the Reds have reached an agreement with Semenyo over a move for January, with the Ghana international now set to decide between a move to Anfield or the Etihad Stadium.
Semenyo had already agreed terms with Man City, but it seems Liverpool have now matched their offer to the player, so it’s currently down to his personal preference as he decides his future for January.
It looks likely that Semenyo will be on his way out of Bournemouth, with both these clubs advancing, though it’s still required that any interested parties meet his £65m release clause.
Antoine Semenyo’s release clause details as Liverpool & Man City chase transfer
Antoine Semenyo in action for Bournemouth against Chelsea (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
According to my information from top sources, Semenyo can leave Bournemouth for £65m, but that clause expires before the 10th of January and is no longer valid for the rest of the month.
The Cherries have another clause for £5m less but that doesn’t become active until the summer transfer window.
This gives Liverpool and City a bit of a time limit, but it looks like both sides are doing their best to get as much of this agreement done now so as to be in a strong position when the window opens in January.
Who will Semenyo join out of Liverpool or City?
Semenyo is yet to make a final decision on his future, with both Liverpool and City satisfying his demands with their respective contract offers.
The 25-year-old will not rush into a decision and it will be interesting to see who he ends up going for, while he might also wait and see if other clubs come in for him.
There have been suggestions of LFC being frontrunners for Semenyo, but there are many factors which could still come into play to impact this outcome, such as the future of manager Arne Slot and whether or not Mohamed Salah is sold or not.
The tension at Liverpool has reached boiling point as manager Arne Slot prepares to hold an emergency face-to-face meeting with star forward Mohamed Salah today, according to a trusted source on X.
The urgent summit comes amid escalating fallout between the Dutch manager and the Egyptian superstar, whose relationship has deteriorated following a public outburst and a series of controversial decisions by the Reds management.
Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes is also expected to be present during the meeting, which has been described internally as “make or break” for Salah’s short-term future at Anfield.
Can Salah return to the Liverpool squad?
The discussion will determine whether the 33-year-old will be reinstated into the squad for Saturday’s clash against Brighton & Hove Albion, a fixture that could prove pivotal for both the player and manager.
The omission came just days after the Egyptian publicly criticised the club and Slot’s management, claiming he had been “thrown under the bus” following a string of substitute appearances.
Slot remains deeply frustrated with Salah’s recent attitude but is still open to reconciliation, provided the forward shows genuine remorse during the meeting.
Slot is understood to have set strict conditions for Salah’s return, making it clear that only a public or private apology would allow the Egyptian to be reintegrated into the first-team setup.
Saturday’s home game against Brighton carries added significance, not only because of Salah’s uncertain involvement but also because it could mark a turning point in the club’s turbulent season.
The Dutchman’s relationship with both the squad and the fanbase has been under intense scrutiny, with many questioning his handling of one of Liverpool’s greatest players ever.
Liverpool’s ongoing turmoil took a surprising turn on Tuesday night when traveling supporters at the San Siro broke into chants of support for under-pressure manager Arne Slot during the club’s Champions League clash against Inter Milan.
Ian Doyle reported on X that the fans of the Premier League side chanted Slot’s name during the early stages of the match against Inter at San Siro.
Ten minutes in and the away end just briefly broke into a chant for Arne Slot before chanting about #LFC
The show of loyalty came just ten minutes into the match, with the away end briefly erupting into a chorus of Slot’s chant before shifting to more traditional Liverpool songs, a rare public show of unity for a manager currently battling intense scrutiny and internal tension.
Liverpool fans side with manager Arne Slot
The moment was significant not just for its timing, but for what it symbolised.
With rising friction between Slot and star forward Mohamed Salah, fans’ vocal backing of the Dutchman sent a clear message about where much of the Anfield faithful stand amid the club’s current crisis.
The Egyptian superstar was left out of the Champions League squad for the Inter fixture, sparking headlines worldwide and deepening questions about the stability of the dressing room.
However, the reaction from the traveling Reds suggests that many supporters still believe in the manager’s vision.
Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
The chants echoed around the away section early in the first half, and though brief, they carried a clear undertone of defiance, a message that the fans won’t abandon Slot in his hour of need.
The fans went back to Liverpool happy as Slot’s side won the match 1-0 thanks to a late penalty from Dominik Szoboszlai.
The Liverpool talisman openly criticised the club’s decision-making, claiming he had been “thrown under the bus,” after being benched in recent fixtures.
Salah’s omission from such a crucial European fixture, one that could shape Liverpool’s season, is seen by many as the clearest sign yet that the relationship between player and manager has reached a breaking point.
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