Virgil van Dijk defends Mohamed Salah amid Liverpool bench debate​

Virgil van Dijk has played down the noise around Mohamed Salah being left out of Liverpool’s starting XI in their last two Premier League matches, stressing that nobody at the club has an unlimited guarantee to start.

The Dutch defender pointed out that every player, regardless of status, must keep delivering on the pitch for the team.​

Salah stayed on the bench throughout the 2-0 win over West Ham, then started as a substitute against Sunderland before coming on in the second half of a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Anfield. It is the first time in his Liverpool career that he has not started two consecutive league games, underlining how unusual this spell is for the Egyptian star.​

The forward has scored just four league goals this season, a sharp drop compared to the 29 he netted last term under new coach Arne Slot, who is struggling in the title defence.

Van Dijk insisted “no one has an unlimited balance” and said Salah remains a major part of Liverpool’s plans, while also praising big-money signing Florian Wirtz as a “world-class” talent who needs time, balance, and focus beyond raw numbers like goals and assists.