Mohamed Salah is back at Liverpool training, and that’s pretty big news. He joined the squad Tuesday after his Africa Cup of Nations duty, and the club’s saying he could actually play against Marseille in the Champions League.
It’s been a bit of a long road getting here, especially with all that stuff he said about the club earlier. But hey, he’s back on the pitch now. This definitely shores up their attack, which, let’s be honest, has looked a little shaky without him. And that Champions League push? It’s getting serious.
The AFCON Break Is Over
Salah captained Egypt in the AFCON tournament, which wrapped up recently. His absence during this busy period of games really put a strain on Liverpool’s options up front. Manager Arne Slot’s been dealing with a lot of fixtures, and losing your star forward, especially when you’re trying to climb the Champions League table, isn’t ideal.
Liverpool’s currently sitting in ninth place in the expanded Champions League format. That’s not where you want to be. They need wins to get into the top eight and avoid extra playoff games to even get to the knockout stages. It’s crunch time for them in Europe.
And, you know, there’s also been all that talk about Toronto FC wanting him in the January transfer window. Nothing’s confirmed, though. So for now, he’s still a Liverpool player, and his return makes sense with the transfer window open.
It’s good timing for Slot, who’s got players like Dominik Szoboszlai already pulling their weight with goals and assists. Liverpool’s attack has missed a bit of that spark, especially with other forwards like Alexander Isak out injured recently. Having Salah back changes things.
A Rocky Road, But Back on Track?
Remember back in late 2025? Salah was playing for Liverpool before he left for AFCON. They played a tough schedule then, too. There was that 2-2 draw at Fulham where they really showed they could struggle defensively and offensively without him. Then he was off with Egypt. It’s not like he was just chilling on vacation; he was playing actual tournament games. He played a lot of minutes for Egypt, too, six games basically, plus extra time. So he’s been busy.
And then he comes back, and Liverpool’s had some frustrating results. That 2-2 draw with Burnley didn’t help their league title hopes at all. There have been individual mistakes too, like that offside call Virgil van Dijk missed.
It just shows how much they need everyone firing on all cylinders. Now, with the Marseille game coming up on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, his potential involvement could be massive. It’s a big chance to take a big step towards getting into that top eight in the Champions League.
Slot’s View and Player Reactions
Manager Arne Slot hasn’t exactly gone on a huge rant about Salah’s return. But he did have some things to say earlier about the team needing to be united. There was that whole public spat back in December 2025.
Slot had to address it, and it showed how central Salah is, even when things aren’t perfect. No official club statement about his exact fitness, but ESPN is reporting he’s back and could be in the squad for Marseille. Slot’s just focused on getting the team ready for a “really good team” in Marseille.
Dominik Szoboszlai, who’s still negotiating his contract, pretty much said it all about the Marseille game. He said, “It is very important. We have to look at the game that it is a big chance to take a big step towards the top eight.”
He also mentioned how important it is to get into that top eight to avoid extra games. He sounds pretty focused. He’s also been working hard, saying, “if you see me after every session I cannot practise more — and I’m not allowed to practise more because I’m practising as much as I can.” That kind of dedication is what you need.
Even Trent Alexander-Arnold chimed in about team morale, apparently quoting Andy Robertson saying something about the Kop support going to Szoboszlai’s head. It sounds like they’re trying to keep things light in the dressing room. And Slot, he’s been honest about the team’s inconsistencies when they’re not at full strength. He basically said they showed “familiar frailties” up front when players like Salah were missing.
What’s Next?
So, Salah’s back. He’s training. He’s available for the Marseille match. This comes at a critical time for Liverpool in the Champions League. They’re ninth, and they need wins. No confirmed injuries or transfers for him, at least not yet. And Szoboszlai’s contract situation is still up in the air.
The team’s been drawing too much lately, like that game against Fulham where Cody Gakpo’s goal got called back late. It’s been a bit of a mixed bag. But having Salah back should, you know, help things.
The focus is now on the game at the Stade Velodrome. If Salah starts, it could be the boost they need to climb the table and avoid those tough playoff rounds. It’s a big deal for their European hopes. And for the rest of the season, having their main man back should make a difference, especially with how they’ve played lately. It’ll be interesting to see how Slot uses him, and if Salah can shake off any rust from AFCON. Things are certainly looking a bit more hopeful now.
Soureesh Datta 
Govind Singh