Arne Slot has shed light on his bold decision to leave Mohamed Salah out of Liverpool’s starting XI for their Champions League trip to Eintracht Frankfurt. It is the second time in a row that the Egyptian has been left out of the European line-up.
Salah was one of five players to drop out of the team that lost to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, as Slot opted for a reshuffle in both attack and midfield.
Liverpool’s head coach recalled Hugo Ekitike, who faces his former club, while Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo both retained their places in the frontline. Florian Wirtz, Curtis Jones, Jeremy Frimpong and Andy Robertson were also called back into the starting line-up as the Dutchman looked to spark a response after four successive defeats.
Speaking to TNT Sports ahead of kick-off, Slot admitted it was far from easy to bench Salah, but said he wanted to reward players who impressed in the final stages of the defeat at Anfield.
“The first answer is always yes – it was a difficult decision to make,” Slot admitted. “But that also has to do with Mo and all the players I have. Every time I select a team it is always difficult because I have so many good players.”
That’s also why I use these players. I liked the way we finished the game against United. We created a lot of chances, especially in the second half.”
Slot’s decision was partly influenced by the absence of Ryan Gravenberch, who missed the trip to Germany due to an injury. The Dutch midfielder has quietly become a key figure for Liverpool since joining from Bayern Munich last year.
Since Gravenberch’s debut in September 2023, Liverpool have won 69% of their matches when he played (66 wins from 96 games). That figure drops sharply to 58% (15 of 26) in games he has not played in, underscoring his growing influence in Slot’s midfield.
This is an unwanted first for Salah since arriving on Merseyside in 2017. The 32-year-old has never before been left out of the starting XI for two consecutive Champions League games.
Salah’s exclusion inevitably raised eyebrows, with many supporters wondering whether Slot’s rotation policy has gone too far at a time when Liverpool desperately need a result to steady their campaign. But Slot has been consistent in his message since his takeover: no player is guaranteed a place, and performance does not determine reputation.
The Dutchman’s emphasis on freshness and tactical flexibility has been a recurring theme during his first months in charge, although it has also drawn criticism amid a string of inconsistent results.
With Frankfurt possessing speed and energy in transition, Slot’s positioning suggested a plan to exploit spaces at the back rather than relying solely on Salah’s lead.
Still, the decision highlights the scale of Slot’s challenge of managing elite players, rebuilding confidence and balancing a demanding schedule, all under the microscope.
Slot also elaborated on his reasoning for starting with both Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike in attack, a decision that signaled a possible shift in Liverpool’s tactical setup.
“What we have to try again today is to create as many chances as we have had in recent weeks,” he said. “Because it is very useful that we have two players in the team who can score a goal.”
The Dutchman suggested Liverpool field two recognized forwards, supported by width and creativity from the flanks, as he looks to inject a greater attacking threat into a side that has struggled to take the lead in recent games.
“We hope and expect that Jeremy Frimpong will create something for these two from the right, and Cody Gakpo will try to do the same from the left – with the creativity of Florian Wirtz in and around our two number nines,” Slot explains.
Such comments indicate a more fluid attacking shape, possibly akin to a 4-2-2-2 or 3-4-1-2, with Frimpong and Gakpo tasked with providing service to the front two, while Wirtz operated between the lines.
Slot acknowledged that accommodating both Isak and Ekitike would require some adjustments to the midfield balance.
“That’s looking at how they’re normally set up – the idea,” he said. “They can play together. They showed that against United, even though it was in the second half. But it does mean that our midfield has to be organized slightly differently.”
“Where we normally play with one six, we now need Curtis [Jones] and Dom [Szoboszlai] to be a little more defensive than either of them is normal.”
It’s a bold tactical shift from Slot, who appears determined to find a formula that will restore Liverpool’s fluidity and confidence in the final third.
The inclusion of Ekitike alongside Isak provides another dynamic pair of physical, mobile forwards who can link play and press high, while the inclusion of Wirtz adds technical quality between the lines.
With Frimpong and Gakpo providing width and pace, Slot’s formation appears designed to overwhelm Frankfurt’s backline and force turnovers in advanced areas, rather than relying solely on Salah’s individual brilliance.
Whether that gamble pays off will depend on Liverpool’s ability to maintain defensive discipline without their usual midfield anchor, a risk Slot acknowledged but appeared willing to embrace.
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