- Liverpool claimed a 1-0 victory over RB Leipzig in their Champions League clash
- Mohamed Salah came off in the 63rd minute after a quiet evening on the wing.
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Arne Slot has revealed the reason why Mohamed Salah was substituted early in the second half during Liverpool’s 1-0 win over RB Leipzig.
Despite receiving the assist for Darwin Núñez’s goal in the first half, the Egyptian had a relatively quiet evening at the Red Bull Arena.
He was then taken off in the 63rd minute and some Liverpool fans wondered if Slot was unhappy with the winger’s performance.
However, after the match, the Dutchman explained that Salah was withdrawn as a precaution given the big clash against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.
Speaking about Salah’s substitution, Slot said: “It’s a complicated schedule. The same thing happened to Curtis Jones, he hasn’t played 90 minutes yet.
Mohamed Salah was substituted in the second half during Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over RB Leipzig.
Slot explained that Salah was dropped as a precaution before his clash with Arsenal
“We have some injuries now, so I have to take care of the players. Sunday is an important game and I need to use as many players as I can for these difficult months.”
Liverpool and Arsenal are separated by just four points in the Premier League table and Slot’s team will know that a win over the Gunners could give them valuable confidence in the title race.
Reflecting on the match as a whole, Slot continued: “I don’t think we started the match very well, but after the first 15 minutes I really liked what I saw.
“We played through their pressure and opened attacks many times, which led to the first goal and many other opportunities.
“It’s a shame that at the end of a game like this you need big roles from your two centre-backs and the goalkeeper. A game like this should have been ours after 60-70 minutes.
The Reds maintained their unbeaten start to the Champions League by beating Leipzig
Uruguayan striker Núñez scored the only goal of the night and just his second of the season, having recently struggled to find the back of the net for the Reds.
“It’s good to see all of our players score,” Slot said. ‘In the run-up, Cody and Mo were as important as Darwin.
“But Darwin was strong, comfortable with the ball, he fought if he had to defend, and he made it very difficult for Leipzig’s two centre-backs.”
