Liverpool manager Arne Slot is facing one of his first major selection dilemmas, with calls growing for star forward Mohamed Salah to be given an extended period of rest.
The Egyptian was an unused substitute as the Reds secured a 2-0 victory away at West Ham United on Saturday, with the team's performance in his absence drawing praise for its balance and effectiveness.
The Veteran's Perspective
Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge has publicly backed the decision to leave Salah out, suggesting the 33-year-old should also be omitted from the starting lineup for the midweek Premier League fixture against Sunderland at Anfield.
"Even if you are Pele, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, if you're not playing well then … on occasion, you need to be dropped," Aldridge stated. He believes a spell on the sidelines could reignite Salah's fire.
Aldridge's comments echo insights from other ex-professionals, like Emile Heskey, who describe the subtle signs of time affecting even the greatest players—reaching balls a micro-second later or struggling with first-time control.
A Delicate Balancing Act for Slot
For Slot, the calculus is complex. On one hand, the evidence from the London Stadium suggests Liverpool can function impressively without their talisman. On the other, managing the game-time of a player of Salah's stature and ambition is a sensitive task.
Salah has had an indifferent start to the 2025/26 season by his own phenomenal standards, across both the Premier League and Champions League. However, this is widely seen as a dip in form rather than a terminal decline.
The physical demands are undeniable. With a professional career spanning 16 years and nearly 800 appearances for club and country, the remarkably durable winger may now require more strategic breaks, especially with the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) commitment looming in early 2026.
The Bigger Picture and a Managerial Challenge
Aldridge remains convinced Salah "will have a part to play" before departing for AFCON. Yet, the idea of a longer, battery-recharging break is gaining traction as a potential benefit for the player and the club's second-half campaign.
The core challenge for Slot is one of man-management. Convincing a player who just signed a new two-year contract that sitting out home games is for the greater good will not be easy. As Aldridge concedes, while benching Salah is the correct footballing decision at this moment, for the manager, it is decidedly easier said than done.
The coming weeks will reveal whether Slot opts for short-term management or a more extended reset for his star attacker, a decision that could define his early tenure at Anfield.
