Will the striker play for Liverpool against Brighton?

Mohamed Salah returns to Liverpool’s squad for their Premier League home game against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

The four-time elite golden boot was ruled out of a trip to Inter in the Champions League on Tuesday after claiming he had been “thrown under the bus” during the Reds’ prolonged slump in form, adding that his relationship with head coach Arne Slot was broken down.

Liverpool will start the match two places behind the eighth-placed Seagulls on goal difference, having taken eight points from their last 10 league matches.

Mohamed Salah: Will the Liverpool striker play against Brighton?

Salah has not started any of Liverpool’s last four matches and has expressed his displeasure after remaining an unused substitute in the 3-3 draw at Leeds United last Saturday.

The 33-year-old has 250 goals in 420 appearances for the club, but just five in 18 games in 2025/26.

Slot’s side are unbeaten since Salah was knocked out following a 4-1 European defeat at home to PSV, achieving their most impressive result without the revered striker by winning 1-0 against 2024/25 Champions League runners-up Inter.

The Dutchman said he would make a decision on Salah’s inclusion after speaking to him personally on Friday, adding that he had “no reason not to want him to stay”.

At his best, Salah’s involvement gives Liverpool one of the best strikers in Premier League history – and the asking price if the Saudi Pro League makes a move for the Egyptian captain in January will likely be higher if he is not in conflict with the club.

British record £125million signing Alexander Isak and £79million French striker Hugo Ekitike were part of Liverpool’s Milan attack, demonstrating the abundance of options Slot has up front.

Egypt’s participation in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations means Salah will not be available until at least January 1 after Liverpool’s match with Brighton, perhaps further easing residual tensions.

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Mohamed Salah: What did the Liverpool icon say?

After the draw against Leeds, Salah told reporters: “I have done so much for this club over the years, and especially last season.

“Now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why. I’ve already said several times that I have a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden we have no relationship.

“It feels like the club threw me under the bus. That’s how I feel. I think it’s very clear that someone wanted me to take all the blame.

“It’s not acceptable to me. I don’t know why this is happening to me. I don’t understand. I think if it were elsewhere, each club would protect its player.

“The way I see it now, it’s like you throw Mo under the bus because he’s the problem in the team now. But I don’t think I’m the problem. I’ve done so much for this club.

“Respect, I want to get it. I don’t need to fight every day for my job because I earned it. I’m not bigger than anyone, but I earned my job. That’s football. That’s what it is.”

Salah signed a new two-year contract in April and contributed three goals and four assists in nine matches to help Liverpool reach the last 16 of the 2024/25 Champions League, losing at home on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain.

The six-time European champions have won four and lost two of their matches in the league stage of the Champions League this season. Salah has a goal and an assist in these matches.

How to watch Liverpool vs Brighton: TV channel, live stream

Kick-off on Saturday will be at 3:00 p.m. GMT (10:00 a.m. ET / 7:00 a.m. PT). The match is not shown live in the UK.

Salary of Mohamed Salah

Salah, a two-time African Footballer of the Year, had already signed a new deal in July 2022, making him the highest paid player in Liverpool’s history.

The 32-year-old’s lawyer and adviser, Ramy Abbas Issa, said in a 2023 Harvard Business School study that Salah earned at least £1 million a week in total income, boosted by factors such as his lucrative endorsements.

“Renewing at Liverpool would be one of the most important steps of my career,” Salah said in the study, via The Guardian.

“But we have to do it the right way. I’ve learned throughout my career that if you want to be successful, it’s important to invest in yourself, not only physically but also mentally.”