Liverpool vs Brighton: Mohamed Salah BENCHED for 4th straight game - What's going on at Anfield?

The Mohamed Salah saga took another dramatic turn on Saturday as Arne Slot made the stunning decision to bench Liverpool's talisman for the fourth consecutive game, this time against Brighton at Anfield.

Despite being recalled to the matchday squad after missing the midweek Champions League victory over Inter Milan, Salah was once again deemed not good enough to start for Slot's side, a decision that will raise more serious questions about what's truly happening behind closed doors at Liverpool.

Liverpool made two changes from their thrilling 3-3 draw at Leeds, with Joe Gomez and Alexis Mac Allister coming into the starting XI in place of Conor Bradley and Cody Gakpo. But it was the name missing from the lineup that dominated pre-match discussion: Mohamed Salah.

For the fourth game running, the Egyptian King, Liverpool's top scorer, their most decorated player in recent years, and arguably one of the greatest players in the club's modern history, was relegated to the bench.

Brighton, meanwhile, made their own adjustments, bringing in Brajan Gruda and Jack Hinshelwood for Maxim De Cuyper and Danny Welbeck.

The decision comes amid explosive claims from Salah himself, who recently broke his silence on his deteriorating relationship with the club. 

In comments that rocked Anfield, the 33-year-old suggested he had been "thrown under the bus" by Liverpool, hinting at tensions behind the scenes that have now manifested in his repeated absences from Slot's starting lineup.

While the club has not publicly commented on Salah's remarks, his continued exclusion speaks volumes. What was initially thought to be rotation or tactical experimentation now appears to be something far more significant, a fundamental breakdown in the relationship between player and manager, or perhaps between player and club hierarchy.

Salah's contract situation has been the subject of intense speculation for months. With his current deal set to expire at the end of the season, Liverpool have been dragging their feet on offering the Egyptian a new long-term contract commensurate with his status and contributions.

The Saudi Pro League has been circling like vultures, ready to offer Salah a lucrative escape route and a chance to become the face of their ambitious football project. Reports suggest multiple Saudi clubs are prepared to launch a January transfer offensive, with wages that would dwarf anything Liverpool are willing to offer.

Could Slot's repeated decision to bench Salah be a signal that the club is ready to move on? Or is this genuinely a tactical call from a manager trying to assert his authority and reshape Liverpool's identity?

Since taking over from Jürgen Klopp, Slot has implemented a more structured, possession-based system that emphasises tactical discipline over individual brilliance. 

Some have speculated that Salah, accustomed to the freedom and chaos of Klopp's high-energy approach, has struggled to adapt to Slot's demands. But benching your best player four games in a row? That's not rotation. That's a statement.

Whether Slot is trying to prove that Liverpool can function without Salah, manage the player's fitness ahead of a crucial run of fixtures, or send a message about who holds power at Anfield, the strategy is fraught with risk. 

Liverpool's recent 3-3 draw at Leeds showed defensive vulnerabilities, and fans are growing restless about the team's inability to kill off games, something Salah has done time and time again throughout his Liverpool career.

If Liverpool are indeed pushing Salah toward the exit, the Saudi Pro League is ready to welcome him with open arms and open wallets. The Middle Eastern competition has already lured the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Kante, and Salah would represent their biggest coup yet.

A January move would allow Liverpool to recoup a transfer fee rather than lose him for free in the summer. It would also allow Salah to secure one final mega-contract before his career winds down. For both parties, there's a cold financial logic to parting ways now.

But for Liverpool fans, the thought of losing Salah, especially in such acrimonious circumstances, is almost unthinkable.

As Liverpool take on Brighton with Salah watching from the bench yet again, the questions mount. Will he come on as a substitute? Will he start the next game? Or has this been the beginning of the end for one of the Premier League's greatest-ever players at Anfield?

One thing is certain: the situation cannot continue indefinitely. Either Salah forces his way back into Slot's plans through sheer performance and professionalism, or Liverpool and their Egyptian King will part ways—whether in January or at the end of the season.

For now, all eyes remain on Arne Slot, Mohamed Salah, and a saga that threatens to define Liverpool's season. The Egyptian King has been benched. The question is: for how much longer?