Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah was surprisingly left on the bench for the trip to West Ham as Arne Slot reshuffles amid a poor run; Liverpool have lost six of seven and Salah has four goals this season. Betting angle: punters may favour backing Under 2.5 goals or a West Ham double-chance/draw market given Liverpool’s scoring drought and a rotated side.
Slot drops Salah for West Ham as Liverpool tinker with starting XI
Mohamed Salah has been left on the bench for Liverpool's trip to West Ham on Sunday, marking the first time Arne Slot has omitted the star forward this season. The surprising call comes amid a worrying run for both club and player: Liverpool have lost six of their last seven league matches and Salah has managed just four goals so far this campaign.
Manager explains selection and fixture pressure
Arne Slot defended the decision, pointing to fixture congestion and squad depth as key factors. "We have more players on the bench than just Mo... We're playing four games in 10 days. I have many good players, so today I chose this line-up," Slot said. He stressed the difficulty of selection with a large pool of quality options, and noted that leaving top players out is sometimes necessary to manage the schedule.
Team news and rotation
One player returned to the squad after missing two games with a knock, as Slot opted to tweak his lineup in search of a response to Liverpool's slide down the table. The reshuffle shows Slot willing to make bold calls to arrest form, even if it means sitting high-profile names.
Betting implications and tactical outlook
Salah’s absence reduces Liverpool’s obvious attacking focal point and could blunt their goal threat, making markets such as Under 2.5 goals or a West Ham double-chance/draw look more appealing to punters. Consider also markets tied to Liverpool struggling to score or Salah not featuring on the scoresheet. As always, check team news close to kick-off and shop around for the best odds before staking.
Arne Slot admits it's 'almost impossible' to change things for Liverpool vs West Ham
Mohamed Salah has been left on the bench for Liverpool's game at West Ham on Sunday, marking the first time Arne Slot has dropped the star forward in the Premier League.
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