Mohamed Salah marked his return to Liverpool’s matchday squad in style, setting a new Premier League record as the Reds secured a 2–0 victory over Brighton at Anfield on Saturday.
The Egypt international came off the bench in the first half to replace the injured Joe Gomez and received a rousing ovation from home supporters.
Despite not starting the game, Salah made an immediate impact, providing the assist for Liverpool’s second goal with a well-taken corner that Hugo Ekitike headed into the net.
That contribution took Salah’s combined tally of goals and assists for Liverpool to 277, moving him ahead of Wayne Rooney to become the Premier League’s all-time leader for a single club in that category.
Salah had a chance to cap his performance with a goal of his own in stoppage time after Federico Chiesa picked him out inside the box, but his first-time effort flew over the bar.
The 32-year-old’s appearance followed a turbulent week in which he was left out of Liverpool’s Champions League win over Inter Milan and spoke publicly about feeling unfairly treated after being benched in recent matches.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot confirmed he had held discussions with the forward before the Brighton game but insisted the situation had been handled internally.
“I spoke to him yesterday,” Slot said. “I never talk publicly about private conversations, but actions speak louder than words. He was back in the squad, and when I had to make my first substitution, I brought him on. He delivered the kind of performance everyone expects from him.”
Slot added that Salah’s influence was clear even in limited minutes. “He was a threat,” the Liverpool boss said.
“He was close to scoring, close to another assist. When you play attackers, that’s exactly what you want.”
Saturday’s match was Salah’s final appearance for Liverpool before he heads off for the Africa Cup of Nations.
After the final whistle, he took time to applaud supporters, sparking speculation about his future. Slot, however, played down any suggestion of a farewell.
“He wasn’t the only player who went around thanking the fans,” Slot explained.
“Mo is going to AFCON now, and we hope he does very well. For me, there’s no issue to resolve. He’s a Liverpool player, and I like using him when we need him.”
With his record-breaking assist against Brighton, Salah once again underlined his importance to Liverpool, ending the week on a high note and writing his name into Premier League history.
