LIVERPOOL: Mohamed Salah set up a goal in Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday as he returned to action after an explosive outburst cast doubt over his future at the Premier League champions.

The Egypt forward, the subject of intense scrutiny in the build-up to the game at Anfield, came off the substitutes’ bench to huge cheers in the 26th minute, replacing injured defender Joe Gomez.

The home team, whose title defence has collapsed after a shocking run of results, were leading 1-0 at the time, with France forward Hugo Ekitike on the scoresheet after just 46 seconds.

Brighton squandered a number of opportunities to level and Ekitike scored again with half an hour to go to give Liverpool breathing space.

Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after he was left on the bench for last week’s 3-3 draw at Leeds -- the third match in a row that he had been named among the replacements.

He also said that he had no relationship with manager Arne Slot.

Salah was omitted from the midweek Champions League trip to Inter Milan, which Liverpool won 1-0, posting a picture on social media of himself alone in the gym.

Slot said at Friday’s pre-match press conference that he would speak to the forward later in the day, adding: “I have no reasons (in) not wanting him to stay.”

There was feverish speculation in the build-up to Saturday’s match about what role Salah would play, with the winger named on the bench.

Liverpool, who had won just two of 10 Premier League matches before the Brighton game, made a lightning start, taking the lead in the first minute when Joe Gomez set up Ekitike, who thumped the ball past Bart Verbruggen.

Salah entered the fray about 20 minutes before half-time when Gomez was withdrawn.

Brighton’s Diego Gomez squandered a good chance to level early in the second half, striking the ball against the outside of a post, and Brajan Gruda also went close as the home crowd chanted Salah’s name.

Liverpool doubled their lead in the 60th minute when Ekitike scored his second, nodding home Salah’s corner.

Salah himself went close in stoppage time after he was set up by Federico Chiesa but he blazed over.

The win lifts Slot’s men to sixth in the table ahead of the later kick-offs on Saturday, easing the pressure on the beleaguered manager.

Salah, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April, is about to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations.

The length of his absence depends on how far Egypt go in the competition in Morocco, with the final taking place on January 18.

The forward, who has been linked with a move to the lucrative Saudi Pro League, had invited his family to the Brighton game as speculation swirled over his future.

“I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to the Africa Cup,” he told reporters last week. “I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”

Salah, third in Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts with 250 goals, has won two Premier League titles and one Champions League crown during his spell on Merseyside.

He scored 29 Premier League goals last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title, but has managed just four league goals this season.

CHELSEA RETURN TO TOP FOUR

Elsewhere, Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 to return to the top four as well-worked first-half goals from talisman Cole Palmer and France fullback Malo Gusto stemmed a run of four games in all competitions without a victory.

Palmer, back in action this month after missing most of the season through injury, drilled the ball between goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and the near post after Gusto’s pinpoint pass.

Gusto switched from provider to scorer in the 46th minute when he poked a Pedro Neto cross home after the Portuguese winger outpaced marker Vitalii Mykolenko.

The result lifted Chelsea to 28 points, five behind leaders Arsenal, who host bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers later on Saturday, and two ahead of Crystal Palace who welcome second-place Manchester City on Sunday. Everton fell to eighth on 24.

The visitors, who had won four of their previous five games, looked bright at the start and matched Chelsea for intent and work rate but they failed to take their chances, with Jack Grealish, James Tarkowski and Idrissa Gueye going close.

Iliman Ndiaye hit the post in the 87th minute but by then the game had run away from Everton, although coach David Moyes remained an animated presence in front of the dugout.

For Chelsea it was a welcome three points after they drew with Arsenal and Bournemouth and lost to Leeds United in the Premier League, as well as going down 2-1 against Atalanta in the Champions League on Wednesday.

“It’s important to win games after two or three we didn’t win,” Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca said. “It’s important for the players. We are happy.”

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2025