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Liverpool Win Without Salah: 5 Powerful Signs of Slot’s Turning Point
Liverpool win without Salah on one of the hardest stages in European football, claiming a vital Champions League victory at the San Siro and giving Arne Slot much-needed breathing space after a bruising few days.
Liverpool win without Salah for the first time away in the Champions League since 2009, a statistic that underlines just how significant this result was for both the manager and the squad.
A Night That Could Have Looked Very Different
The narrative surrounding Liverpool has been dominated by Mohamed Salah in recent weeks. Had Dominik Szoboszlai failed from the penalty spot in Milan, the questions would have intensified.
More dropped points. More scrutiny. More speculation.
Instead, Liverpool’s standout performer this season stepped up while Salah watched from home, nearly 1,000 miles away. Szoboszlai showed composure under pressure, converting the decisive penalty to seal a famous away win.
The scenes at full time told their own story. Players walked over to the travelling support, who responded by chanting Arne Slot’s name — a rare show of unity after 72 hours of turbulence.
Liverpool Win Without Salah After Turbulent Days
Liverpool win without Salah following a stretch few managers survive unscathed. After nine defeats in 12 matches and a painful capitulation against Leeds days earlier, Slot needed a response.
He got it.
This was Liverpool’s fourth consecutive win at the San Siro, and arguably the most meaningful. Crucially, it came with a depleted 19-man squad and under the watchful eye of Michael Edwards, Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of Football.
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker insisted before kickoff that the players were still fully behind Slot. On the pitch, they backed those words with an assured, disciplined performance and a long-overdue clean sheet.
Tactical Tweaks and Collective Discipline
Slot’s changes were subtle but effective. Liverpool defended deeper, pressed smarter, and took fewer risks in transition. Against an Inter side unbeaten in 18 Champions League home matches, resilience mattered more than aesthetics.
Captain Virgil van Dijk was central to that effort.
“There’s obviously so much noise when results don’t go your way,” Van Dijk said after the match. “We want to be consistent and win games. That hasn’t been happening, so we have to stick together.”
Andy Robertson echoed the sentiment, calling the victory “huge” after admitting recent performances had not met the club’s standards.
The Salah Question Still Lingers
Despite the result, questions inevitably turned to Salah. Clarified fault lines remain, even if the team delivered when it mattered.
Slot handled the matter cautiously, acknowledging mistakes happen while refusing to escalate publicly. Van Dijk was similarly measured, insisting Salah remains part of the group.
Yet for one night at least, Liverpool win without Salah shifted the discussion from absence to accountability.
The emphasis returned to those who were available — exactly how Slot wanted it.
Szoboszlai Steps Into the Spotlight
No player embodied that responsibility more than Szoboszlai. The Hungarian midfielder has now been directly involved in more goals than any other Liverpool player this season.
Slot acknowledged the midfielder’s workload and influence, highlighting his energy, discipline, and willingness to deliver in difficult moments.
It was Szoboszlai’s first competitive penalty for Liverpool — and it came when the weight of momentum rested squarely on his shoulders.
Why This Result Feels Bigger Than Three Points
Liverpool win without Salah is significant not just statistically, but emotionally. It proves Liverpool can still function, adapt, and compete at the highest level despite disruption.
It does not solve every problem. Defensive consistency, attacking fluidity, and dressing-room harmony remain ongoing challenges.
But this was a night where character mattered more than clarity.
Slot summed it up best: “Tonight should be about the players that are here. In Liverpool’s history, there have been many nights like this.”
Conclusion
In a season lurching between promise and panic, Liverpool win without Salah may yet stand as the moment belief returned.
Winning in Milan is never routine. Winning there under pressure, without your best player, and with your future questioned — that is something else entirely.
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By Aadam Patel | Updated Dec 10, 2025