Salah’s benching shows that every player has to earn his place at Liverpool: Van Dijk

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said the decision to leave Mohamed Salah on the bench in consecutive Premier League matches shows that no player is guaranteed a place in the squad, regardless of his contribution to the club’s success in recent years.

Egyptian winger Salah, 33, was an unused substitute in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over West Ham United on Sunday and came off the bench in the 1-1 draw against Sunderland on Wednesday.

Salah, who signed a two-year contract extension in April, has scored five goals in 19 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool this season and has struggled to match the consistency that helped the club to the league title last year.

«That has always been the case. It is not that you have unlimited credit; everyone has to perform,» Van Dijk told reporters on Wednesday after the match against Sunderland.

«Mo has done that, but the manager (Arne Slot) has made that decision in the last two games. We all want the best for the club. I’m pretty sure Mo will still be a big part of what we’re trying to achieve because he’s a great player and he’s shown that consistently.»

Liverpool are ninth in the league with 22 points from fourteen games and are eleven points behind leaders Arsenal. The poor form comes despite spending 446 million pounds ($594.52 million) during the end-of-season transfer window.

Van Dijk said Liverpool needed Salah back to his best.

“He is still a fantastic player and we must remember that there is a reason why he has been so successful at the club and we must respect that,” he added.

Published on December 5, 2025