Liverpool supporters spotted a change on social media from Salah following his omission from Arne Slot’s starting line-up in Frankfurt.
For the second consecutive Champions League match, Mohamed Salah watched from the substitutes’ bench.
Once unthinkable, the sight of Liverpool’s number 11 not in the starting lineup has become an uncomfortable reality that signals a slow but noticeable shift under Arne Slot.
The Reds arrived in Germany desperate to halt a miserable run of four consecutive defeats, and they did so in emphatic fashion. Five goals, five different goalscorers and a 5-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt that not only lifted the mood but also raised new questions about Salah’s current position within the team.
For years, Salah was the heartbeat of Liverpool’s attack. A player you could almost be sure would be on the scoresheet on big European nights.
But this time the goals came from elsewhere. Gakpo, Van Dijk, Konate, Szoboszlai and Ekitike all found the net, while Salah, introduced in the 74th minute, cut a frustrated figure as he struggled to make any meaningful impact.
It’s not just the goals that are missing. The Egyptian has looked a shadow of his former self since the start of the 2025/26 season. Salah, once ruthlessly efficient, has turned down the opportunities he would have buried blindfolded a year ago. With three goals in eleven games in all competitions, it is a return that tells its own story.
Last season, Salah was monumental. He contributed 47 goals, lifted Liverpool to the Premier League title and earned a new two-year contract. But since that deal was signed, his influence has visibly diminished.
His frustration was clearly visible after working full-time in Frankfurt when he joined his teammates to applaud the traveling supporters.
Arne Slot has made no secret of his desire to revamp Liverpool’s attack. The arrivals of Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike have added new dimensions to the frontline, while Florian Wirtz, who was still adapting to English football, was given a vote of confidence with a start in Germany, providing two assists on the evening.
Salah, meanwhile, has paid the price for inconsistency. Slot has emphasized that his decisions are tactical, but leaving out a player of Salah’s caliber for two consecutive Champions League games feels like something more important, perhaps a statement that no one can let us down.
Introduced with 16 minutes to play, Salah had the chance to put the match to bed or at least restore some personal confidence. Instead, it was a cameo to forget. A heavy touch, a blocked shot and a moment that attracted much criticism when he chose to shoot from a tight angle rather than direct the ball straight to Wirtz, who stood unmarked in front of the goal.
Social media quickly turned that moment into a talking point. For some, it symbolized Salah’s desperation to prove himself again; for others, it was a glimpse of the selfish nature that was always part of his genius but now feels counterproductive.
To complicate matters further, he later removed his X (formerly Twitter) cover photo, a triumphant image of him holding the Premier League trophy, and replaced it with a plain gray background.
His profile photo, in which he once lifted silverware, was exchanged for a simple family photo. Small gestures perhaps, but symbolic ones, reflecting a player who seems disillusioned and disconnected.
Since joining from Roma in 2017, Salah has scored 248 goals and 116 assists in 413 appearances, winning every major trophy. His consistency and professionalism transformed him into one of Liverpool’s all-time greats.
Nobody should write off Salah. Thanks to his fitness, mentality and goal-scoring instincts, there is every chance he can respond with the kind of runs that only he can produce.
But with the Africa Cup of Nations looming this winter, the timing for a dip in form couldn’t be worse. Liverpool will have to plan the next six weeks without him, with others now demanding the transition will be smoother.
Regardless, one thing remains true: Mohamed Salah deserves patience and respect. He helped Liverpool through dark days and never turned his back on the club. Perhaps now, as he faces the toughest period of his Anfield career, it is time for Liverpool supporters to give something back.
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