Salah assists Ekitike’s second as Liverpool beat Brighton in EPL

Mohamed Salah came disconnected the seat to assistance the 2nd of Hugo Ekitike’s treble arsenic Liverpool returned to winning ways.

Mohamed Salah acceptable up a extremity successful Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Brighton arsenic helium returned to enactment aft an explosive outburst formed uncertainty implicit his aboriginal astatine the Premier League champions.

The Egypt forward, the subject of aggravated scrutiny successful the build-up to the crippled astatine Anfield, came disconnected the substitutes’ seat to immense cheers successful the 26th infinitesimal connected Saturday, replacing injured defender Joe Gomez.

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The location team, whose rubric defence has collapsed aft a shocking tally of results, were starring 1-0 astatine the time, with France guardant Hugo Ekitike connected the scoresheet aft conscionable 46 seconds.

Brighton squandered a fig of opportunities to level, and Ekitike scored again with fractional an hr to spell to springiness Liverpool breathing space.

Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” aft helium was near connected the seat for past week’s 3-3 gully astatine Leeds – the 3rd lucifer successful a enactment that helium had been named among the replacements.

He besides said that helium had nary narration with manager Arne Slot.

Salah was omitted from the midweek Champions League travel to Inter Milan, which Liverpool won 1-0, posting a representation connected societal media of himself unsocial successful the gym.

Slot said astatine Friday’s pre-match quality league that helium would talk to the guardant aboriginal successful the day, adding, “I person nary reasons [in] not wanting him to stay.”

Salah not made to hold agelong for substitute relation to delight of Liverpool faithful

There was feverish speculation successful the build-up to Saturday’s lucifer astir what relation Salah would play, with the winger named connected the bench.

Liverpool, who had won conscionable 2 of 10 Premier League matches earlier the Brighton game, made a lightning start, taking the pb successful the archetypal infinitesimal erstwhile Joe Gomez acceptable up Ekitike, who thumped the shot past Bart Verbruggen.

Salah entered the fray astir 20 minutes earlier half-time erstwhile Gomez was withdrawn.

Brighton’s Diego Gomez squandered a bully accidental to level aboriginal successful the 2nd half, striking the shot against the extracurricular of a post, and Brajan Gruda besides went adjacent arsenic the location assemblage chanted Salah’s name.

Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool heads the shot to people his team’s 2nd extremity [Carl Recine/Getty Images]

Liverpool doubled their pb successful the 60th infinitesimal erstwhile Ekitike scored his second, nodding location Salah’s corner.

Salah himself went adjacent successful stoppage clip aft helium was acceptable up by Federico Chiesa, but helium blazed over.

The triumph lifts Slot’s men to sixth successful the array up of the aboriginal kickoffs connected Saturday, easing the unit connected the beleaguered manager.

Salah departure from Liverpool for AFCON oregon for good?

Salah, who signed a caller two-year declaration astatine Liverpool successful April, is astir to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The magnitude of his lack depends connected however acold Egypt spell successful the contention successful Morocco, with the last taking spot connected January 18.

The forward, who has been linked with a move to the lucrative Saudi Pro League, had invited his household to the Brighton crippled arsenic speculation swirled implicit his future.

“I volition beryllium successful Anfield to accidental goodbye to the fans and spell to the Africa Cup,” helium told reporters past week. “I don’t cognize what is going to hap erstwhile I americium there.”

Salah, 3rd successful Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts with 250 goals, has won 2 Premier League titles and 1 Champions League crown during his spell connected Merseyside.

He scored 29 Premier League goals past play arsenic Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title, but has managed conscionable 4 league goals this season.