Following Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland, frustrations inside the squad are becoming clearer. The champions have struggled this season, and two players have already shown their displeasure with Slot’s decisions.
Liverpool dropped points at Anfield after falling behind to a Chemsdine Talbi goal. They equalized through a Nordi Mukiele own goal but couldn’t find a winner, leaving them eighth in the Premier League.
One major talking point is Mohamed Salah. He started on the bench for the second straight game and wasn’t used at all in the previous 2-0 win over West Ham. Slot confirmed that Salah was upset when he learned he wouldn’t start that match. Slot defended the decision, saying it’s normal for top players to be unhappy when they don’t play, and added that Salah wasn’t the only one frustrated.
He praised Salah for staying professional and supporting his teammates despite his disappointment.
Another player who has felt sidelined is Federico Chiesa. He was left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad in September and hasn’t hidden his frustration, though he accepted Slot’s explanation after a difficult conversation. Slot said telling a player they won’t play is hard enough, but explaining why they’re not even in the squad is even more difficult.
Chiesa has played 15 games this season across all competitions but has only started twice—both in the EFL Cup. He has two goals and three assists but remains excluded from Liverpool’s European lineup for now.
At 28, Chiesa could benefit from Salah’s potential absence as the Egyptian prepares to join his national team for the Africa Cup of Nations. Even so, Slot still seems unconvinced and may need more persuasion before giving Chiesa a bigger role
