A look at how Liverpool could line up when they are entertained by Leeds United at Elland Road on Saturday
Mohamed Salah looks on form the bench prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool and Sunderland at Anfield on December 03, 2025(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
When Arne Slot sits down to pick his team for Liverpool’s trip to Leeds United on Saturday evening, he might well start with the topic of Mohamed Salah. The Egypt captain, the player who sees only Roger Hunt and Ian Rush above him in the list of all-time scorers at Anfield, has, for the first time in his nine seasons at the club, found himself on the bench for successive Premier League fixtures.
Sunday’s 2-0 win over West Ham United saw him left entirely in reserve as a confidence-shot side, fresh from a 4-1 smiting at the hands of PSV in the Champions League days earlier, found a bit of form at a time when it was most needed.
That Salah was not called for was fine. The jet-heeled forward is 33 now and saving him for more taxing examinations seemed sensible as goals from Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo did the damage to a poor hosting side.
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Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland was different. A laboured Liverpool struggled to carve open their visitors in the first period, which led to the introduction of Salah for Gakpo at the break as Florian Wirtz shifted over to the left.
Salah was bright and eager but lacked the finesse that he has so often displayed on Merseyside and the Reds were held to a draw that now sees them on a sequence of just four wins in 14.
So, does the Egyptian return to the team for Saturday’s visit to Elland Road? At a time when Liverpool are looking so toothless and bereft of creativity and confidence, a lot could rest on the decision around the veteran who will be heading off to Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations in less than a fortnight.
Does Slot persist without Salah in an effort to acclimate his team to the period when he is unavailable? Or will he extract as much value as is possible over the next three games? It is a difficult one to call for the head coach, who desperately needs a performance and result from his team.
Wirtz is likely to keep his place after another encouraging outing that ended with him forcing an own goal from Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele to preserve a point, although what happens with Isak is anyone’s guess.
The Sweden international barely had a kick against Regis Le Bris’s side and there is a debate over how much of that inactivity is down to the player himself or the system preferred by Slot, where the No.9s, generally, are less involved.
Hugo Ekitike is vying for a recall if Slot deems Isak to have been below the required standard but the Frenchman’s excellent start to life on Merseyside has tailed off in recent weeks. His last goal came on October 22 when Eintracht Frankfurt were dispatched 5-1.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister are likely to keep their places meaning it is the identity of the full-backs that will pique most interest.
Andy Robertson returned for Milos Kerkez on Wednesday but could this be a game for the young Hungarian, who was improved against West Ham?
On the opposite side, might a third game in six days be too much on the muscles of Joe Gomez? The versatile defender made successive starts for the first time in 12 months on Wednesday and while his return has coincided with a more stable-looking defensive unit, overplaying the long-serving Londoner comes with inherent risks.
A lot depends on the latest fitness update on Conor Bradley when Slot speaks to the media on Friday morning.
The Liverpool boss said staying fit consistently was the key to unlocking the potential of the Northern Ireland international last month but another injury setback has come at an inopportune time.