Mohamed Salah will start on the bench for Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Galatasaray in Istanbul a decision that has taken many by surprise.
The Egyptian forward, a talisman for the Reds since his arrival in 2017, played the full 90 minutes in Saturday’s 3-1 Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace, yet manager Arne Slot has opted to rest him as part of a wider squad rotation strategy.
The Dutchman has made four changes from the side beaten at Selhurst Park, with Jeremie Frimpong deployed on the right wing, Cody Gakpo returning on the left, Hugo Ekitike leading the line alongside Dominik Szoboszlai, and Curtis Jones coming in for Alexis Mac Allister. Alexander Isak, the £125m summer signing, also starts on the bench.
“We have many games to play in a few days. There’s another big game coming up. We have to utilise our squad, and utilising doesn’t always mean from the start: players can come in as well. In many of our games, players have impacted the game coming off the bench,” Slot explained on Amazon Prime Video
Slot’s approach underlines a willingness to make bold decisions to manage player fitness and form while ensuring the team remains competitive across multiple competitions.
The changes signal Slot’s intent to manage minutes carefully, particularly for players who had disrupted pre-seasons. Both Isak and Mac Allister are still adapting to life at Liverpool, and Slot is mindful that expecting them to play 90 minutes every three days would be unrealistic.
“Alexis Mac Allister and Alexander Isak both had disrupted pre-seasons and their minutes are still being managed. Liverpool has more depth available this season after a big summer of transfers and it is keen to use it to go far in each competition,” Slot said.
“It takes a bit of time [for Isak]. He plays an hour, half an hour. Everyone who plays football knows the more you play together, the better it goes. Normally very good players need less time to adapt. If you look at our full-back position, both of them are new…these are all extra ingredients why we sometimes have to rotate a bit. And sometimes it’s also because we think we have players who can play games like this.”
Salah’s benching evokes memories of October 2022, when he also started a Champions League game on the bench. On that occasion, he came off the bench to score a hat-trick in just six minutes against Rangers at Ibrox, setting the record for the fastest treble in the tournament’s history. Slot referenced that moment as a reminder that a substitute role can still be a platform for game-changing performances.
“They were talking about the last time Mo scored three coming off the bench against Rangers, and I know who the manager of Rangers was back then. That is my current assistant Gio [van Bronckhorst], so they’ve spoken about this already.”
The precedent is clear Salah has the quality to turn games around from the bench. His presence on the sidelines is not a demotion but a tactical tool in Slot’s strategy to navigate a packed fixture list.
The formation tonight sees Frimpong on the right wing, Gakpo on the left, and Ekitike partnering Szoboszlai up front. Florian Wirtz operates in his preferred number 10 role, while Jones adds dynamism in midfield. This setup combines fresh legs and tactical flexibility, allowing Liverpool to conserve Salah and Isak for critical moments while still fielding a competitive side.
Slot’s rotation approach also addresses the challenges of squad adaptation. Liverpool’s summer signings are talented but require time to find rhythm, particularly when pre-season preparation was disrupted. Managing minutes carefully is key to maintaining form and reducing the risk of injury over a demanding season.
“Normally very good players need less time to adapt. If you look at our full-back position, both of them are new…these are all extra ingredients why we sometimes have to rotate a bit. And sometimes it’s also because we think we have players who can play games like this,” Slot added.
For Liverpool supporters, the move is a reminder of the fine balance Slot must strike between managing individual players and fielding the strongest side. It also highlights the squad depth the Dutch manager now has at his disposal after a busy transfer window.
