Mohamed Salah will not play when Liverpool visit Manchester United on Sunday, manager Arne Slot confirmed on Friday, ruling the winger out after a minor injury picked up in last weekend’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace. Slot said Salah, who has a reputation for working hard and recovering quickly from small knocks, will not be fit for the 15:30 BST kickoff.
The absence compounds a mounting list of injuries for Liverpool. Slot revealed goalkeeper Alisson Becker has not yet returned to training and remains a doubt, while Alexander Isak — who arrived from Newcastle in a British-record £130 million move — will miss the match after sustaining a groin strain in training this week. Hugo Ekitike is already out for the season after rupturing his Achilles during Liverpool’s Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain, and Giorgi Mamardashvili is sidelined following an injury in the Merseyside derby against Everton.
Freddie Woodman, who started in goal for Liverpool against Crystal Palace, is available but Slot stressed the difference between outfield and goalkeeping returns means the medical staff must be cautious. He said Alisson is close to training and that he needs to consult the medical team before deciding. Slot also confirmed several other absences: Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Wataru Endo remain unavailable, and Milos Kerkez left training earlier in the week and faces a late fitness test.
Manchester United arrive in a more optimistic mood on the injury front. Interim manager Michael Carrick said Matheus Cunha has resumed light training and the club are hopeful he can return to the squad, while Luke Shaw should be available despite coming off in the second half of the win over Brentford. Carrick added that Matthijs de Ligt remains a little further away from involvement but that otherwise United feel they are in good shape ahead of Sunday’s fixture.
The timing of the match gives the absences extra weight. Liverpool and Manchester United meet at a point when both clubs are fighting for Premier League positions that carry Champions League implications. Liverpool are battling to secure third place, and Salah’s enforced absence — with the player set to leave the club this summer after nine years — removes one of their most reliable attacking influences at a delicate moment in the run-in.
The list of injured forwards is stark. Salah’s hamstring issue appeared during the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace; Isak, who earlier this year suffered a broken leg that kept him out for months, has now picked up a groin problem in training; and Ekitike’s season-ending Achilles rupture already rules him out of any short-term plans. That leaves Liverpool short of senior forwards and raises clear questions about how Slot will reshape his attack for a fixture United won 2-1 at Anfield earlier in the season.
The most immediate tension for Liverpool is not just the number of absentees but their variety. Goalkeeper availability, with Alisson yet to train and Woodman having deputised last weekend, introduces a distinct selection dilemma. Outfield choices are affected by a string of injuries to starters and squad players alike, and Milos Kerkez’s late fitness test could further complicate selection decisions.
For Liverpool, the coming 90 minutes will be a test of depth more than formation. Salah’s absence is concrete; Isak’s and Alisson’s situations are settled only by the medical updates that follow. How Slot adjusts his XI and whether United can exploit a depleted Liverpool side will shape the remainder of both clubs’ seasons — and for now, the substitution board and the medical room carry as much influence over the result as any tactical briefing.
