Arne Slot makes Mo Salah decision as Liverpool starting XI vs Brighton confirmed

Mo Salah has returned to the Liverpool squad after peace talks with Arne Slot, who's confirmed his starting line-up to face Brighton at Anfield in the Premier League

Mo Salah will start Liverpool's clash with Brighton on the bench after Arne Slot welcomed him back into the squad. Salah, 33, was left at home for Tuesday's Champions League trip to face Inter Milan in a decision made by club chiefs, as the Reds claimed all three points with a 1-0 win.

It came after the Egyptian accused Liverpool of 'throwing him under the bus' and claimed that 'someone' wanted him out of the club. Salah added that he has 'no relationship' with Slot after being benched for the previous three games, including being an unused substitute as the Reds were held to a 3-3 draw away to Leeds United last Saturday.

Due to the Africa Cup of Nations starting next week, the forward also hinted that the Brighton game would be his last appearance at Anfield before potentially securing a January transfer. Now, though, following peace talks on Friday afternoon, Salah is back involved as a substitute.

Asked whether he's happy with the position that the saga involving Salah has reached, Slot told Sky Sports: "Yes, of course, otherwise I would have done [it] probably differently. He's back in the squad and on the bench today."

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday morning, Slot was coy on whether the forward would return. The Liverpool boss also confirmed that he'd spoken to Salah's agent, Colombian lawyer Ramy Abbas Issa, this week.

"We've spoken a lot in the last week," Slot revealed. "After the Sunderland game I think there have been a lot of conversations between his representatives and our representatives, and between him and me after the Sunderland game. And today I will speak to him again."

The Reds manager also said that leaving Salah at home in midweek was a club decision. "I think we decided as a club and I was part of that decision not to take him to the Inter Milan game," Slot added. "I'm always in contact with them, but when it comes to the decision-making of the lineup or the squad they always leave that open to me.

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"But that's not to say that I don't talk to them - mainly Richard [Hughes], by the way, not Michael [Edwards] - but I talk to Richard about so many things. The decision to play a player or to have him in the squad, as I've experienced it until now and I think this will never change, is entirely up to me."

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Jones, Wirtz; Ekitike

Liverpool subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Isak, Salah, Chiesa, Robertson, Ramsay, Ngumoha, Lucky

Brighton XI: Verbruggen; Wieffer, Van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu; Baleba, Gomez; Minteh, Rutter, Gruda; Hinshelwood

Brighon subs: Steele, Welbeck, Kostoulas, Milner, Boscagli, Mitoma, Ayari, De Cuyper, Veltman

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