Liverpool v Sunderland live: Mohamed Salah benched again for visit of Premier League high-flyers

That was the question. And that question has been answered emphatically by Arne Slot.

Mohamed Salah will take his place on the padded touchline seats for another Premier League game, this time in front of his home fans. That could be telling for where the Egyptian fits into Slot’s long-term plans.

Slot only makes one change from the side that beat West Ham on Sunday - Andy Robertson in for Milos Kerkez at left-back.

Well, well, well. Mohamed Salah is benched for a second consecutive Premier League game.

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak.

Sunderland: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo; Talbi, Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fee; Brobbey.

Just a couple of minutes until we bring you the teams for tonight’s clash...

Any surprises in store?

Mohamed Salah is set to depart for AFCON duty on 15 December, Arne Slot has confirmed. He will feature in Egypt's group stage games on 22 December against Zimbabwe, then they face South Africa on 26 December with the final match on 29 December against Angola before the knockout stage.

Across that time, he will miss the Premier League trip to Tottenham Hotspur on 20 December, a home game against Wolves on 27 December and more than likely the New Year's Day match at Anfield against Leeds United.

Should Egypt progress, then they would face a last 16 clash on 4/5 January, which would rule Salah out of the trip to Fulham on 4 January.

The Reds then face Arsenal on 8 January, with a potential quarter-final for Egypt on 9/10 January. The next match for Liverpool is on 10-12 January in the FA Cup third round proper, before Burnley at home on 17 January. Salah could miss all three games should Egypt progress into the latter stages, with the AFCON 2025 final in Rabat is on 18 January.

Liverpool’s lavish summer signings Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz are still not able to play three full matches in a short time frame, manager Arne Slot has admitted.

Isak and Wirtz – bought for £125m from Newcastle and £100m from Leverkusen respectively – have struggled to get up to speed in the Premier League this season, and have found themselves used sparingly by Slot.

Ahead of a busy run of fixtures leading into the festive period, which starts with the visit of high-flying Sunderland to Anfield on Wednesday night before Saturday’s trip to Leeds, Slot admitted the pair, as well as defender Joe Gomez, are still not fit enough to play successive full matches on weekends and in midweek.

“I think they are not able to play three 90 minutes in a week, that’s for sure,” Slot said. “I will have to see how they feel today and if they are ready to start again. All three are able to play in all three games if they don’t get an injury.”

After one of the more demoralising weeks of his eight years at Anfield, the good news for Mohamed Salah is that Arne Slot has not found his successor. The man who displaced Salah from his usual berth on Liverpool’s right flank at West Ham was a short-term solution, not the face of a new formula.

That may be what Dominik Szoboszlai wanted to hear, too, after he was pressed into service in his fourth different role of the season on Sunday. Salah, Slot admitted, was unhappy at being omitted. But a return to the team now would only be temporary, with the Africa Cup of Nations starting soon.

If Szoboszlai could be a Salah stand-in – for different reasons – then, Slot said: “I don’t see Dominik as a right-winger for the long-term future in this club. Dominik is a midfielder who could help us out as a full-back or as a winger if needed. I don’t expect to be in February and March and every single game Dominik is playing there.

Our man on the ground Richard Jolly delves into Mohamed Salah’s future at Liverpool:

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Jones, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike.

Sunderland XI: Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Geertruida, Reinildo; Traore, Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fee; Brobbey.

Slot notably dropped Mohamed Salah for the win over West Ham and all eyes will be on whether the Egyptian is restored to the line-up, potentially to rest Dominik Szoboszlai.

The Reds manager also asserted that the trio of Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Joe Gomez are not fit enough to play three 90 minutes in a week, which could bring rotataion.

Sunderland are still without Dennis Cirkin, Leo Hjelde, Aji Alese and Habib Diarra through injuries, but there are no new issues for Le Bris to contend with. Brian Brobbey scored off the bench on Saturday so could be due a start.

Viewers in the UK can watch the game on Sky Sports Football or stream it on Sky Go, with coverage starting at 6:30pm GMT.

If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

Liverpool’s clash with Sunderland kicks off at 8:15pm GMT on Wednesday 3 December at Anfield.