Liverpool Drops Mohamed Salah, Rotates Squad Against Eintracht Frankfurt

Arne Slot dropped Mohamed Salah and made five changes for Liverpool's Champions League trip to Eintracht Frankfurt as he sought to halt a run of four straight defeats following the 2-1 loss to Manchester United. Slot started Hugo Ekitike alongside Alexander Isak — forming a new strike partnership — recalled Florian Wirtz at No.10 with Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai deeper, and moved Jeremie Frimpong to the right; Slot said the choice was difficult but driven in part by Ryan Gravenberch’s injury and Frankfurt’s setup. The team alternated between a 4-3-3 and a more traditional 4-4-2 out of possession, with Wirtz shifting roles and Frimpong providing width before being withdrawn with a hamstring problem. The decision has intensified debate, with pundits such as Jamie Carragher and a majority of readers arguing Salah — now in a prolonged scoreless run and subbed late against Man United — should not be an automatic starter. Columnists and critics have called for Salah to be benched to revive his form amid questions over motivation and his recent contract, while Slot stressed he has starters and impact players on the bench. The changes are intended to test new attacking combinations, arrest Liverpool’s slide, and improve performances in both the Champions League and Premier League.