LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Mohamed Salah was left out of Liverpool's starting lineup by manager Arne Slot on Wednesday for the second straight Premier League match, in what could be a sign of the Egypt winger's fading status in his ninth season at the club.
Salah was named on the bench for the home game against Sunderland, only entering as a halftime substitute — and failing to score — in a 1-1 draw at Anfield.
On Sunday, the Egypt winger was an unused substitute in Liverpool's 2-0 win at West Ham. That marked the first time Salah hadn't started a league game under Slot, who took charge in the offseason of 2024 and won the title in his first season — chiefly thanks to Salah's league-high 29 goals.
Slot acknowledged Salah was unhappy at being dropped last weekend but that he “handled himself really well” and was a "top professional.”
That wasn't enough to regain his place in the team three days later, with Slot sticking with Dominic Szoboszlai on the right wing — seemingly because of his work off the ball.
“In the first half, we played Szoboszlai on the right to be defensively strong enough not to concede as much as we did in the last few weeks,” Slot said.
Liverpool has three matches — two in the Premier League and one in the Champions League — before Salah heads to the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt.
Slot refused to say whether Salah would come into the team for Liverpool's next match — at Leeds on Saturday.
“I have not given a thought to how we will play at the weekend against Leeds,” he said. "I have an idea who will start but I won’t say.”
Salah has scored four goals in the Premier League this season.
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Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, centre, and Dominik Szoboszlai warm up before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and PSV in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah applauds after the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and PSV in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
The Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons got deeper Tuesday by acquiring Kevin Huerter from the Chicago Bulls as the centerpiece of a four-player, three-team deal.
The Pistons got Huerter and Dario Saric — who was just acquired over the weekend by Chicago — from the Bulls. Chicago landed Mike Conley Jr. from Minnesota and Jaden Ivey from the Pistons.
Huerter is having one of the most well-rounded seasons of his career and joins a Detroit team aiming for a deep playoff run in the East. The Pistons don't shoot many 3-pointers — they were 27th in attempts and 28th in attempts per game entering Tuesday — but that could change with Huerter joining a group that features constant deep threat Duncan Robinson, among others.
Ivey spent parts of four seasons with the Pistons. He was dealing with the aftereffects of knee surgery entering the season and was averaging a career-low 8.2 points while getting only 16.8 minutes per game, another career low.
Conley's departure from Minnesota would come with one benefit for the Timberwolves — their tax bill. Facing an estimated $24 million bill entering Tuesday, the Conley move dropped the anticipated total to somewhere around $4 million and got them below the first apron.
That could open the door to other moves for Minnesota, which has been mentioned as one of the teams in pursuit of Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Huerter is averaging nearly 11 points this season and is set to become a free agent this summer.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) scramble on the floor for a loose ball in the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Chicago Bulls guard Kevin Huerter (13) celebrates with forward Matas Buzelis and forward Dalen Terry, back, after he scores the game winning three-point basket over the Boston Celtics during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Chicago Bulls guard Kevin Huerter gets doused with water after an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Chicago. Huerter scored the game winning three-point basket. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
