Anfield Applauds Salah on Return Against Brighton

Liverpool supporters gave Mohamed Salah a warm ovation as the Egyptian star came off the bench during the Premier League clash against Brighton at Anfield on Sunday. Salah entered the pitch in the 26th minute to loud applause from the home crowd, reflecting his enduring popularity and status among Liverpool fans.

Salah was introduced after defender Joe Gomez was forced off through injury, prompting head coach Arne Slot to make an early change. The decision to bring on the Egyptian forward immediately lifted the atmosphere inside Anfield, with fans rising to applaud as soon as Salah stepped onto the pitch.

The match forms part of round 16 of the Premier League season, with Liverpool seeking consistency after a difficult run of results. Salah’s involvement was closely watched, particularly after he spent the full 90 minutes on the bench in the previous league match against Leeds United and was later left out of the squad for the Reds’ clash with Inter following post-match comments related to his absence.

Liverpool started the match with Alisson in goal, followed by Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté and Milos Kerkez in defence. The midfield featured Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones, while the attack included Hugo Ekitike and Ryan Gravenberch.

Brighton remain one of Salah’s favoured opponents. Across all competitions, the 33-year-old has faced the Seagulls 18 times, recording 10 wins, four draws and four defeats. During those encounters, Salah has directly contributed to 17 goals, scoring 10 times and providing seven assists, underlining his consistent impact against the south coast side.

Despite his strong individual record, Liverpool entered the match sitting 10th in the Premier League table with 23 points, level on points with Brighton, who also occupied 10th place but trailed on goal difference. The reception Salah received highlighted both the fans’ faith in their star forward and the expectation that he can play a decisive role as the season progresses.