Van Dijk Insists Salah Must Prove His Worth After Recent Benchings

Post by : Mara Rahim

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has addressed the situation surrounding Mohamed Salah, stating that the forward needs to continually prove his value following his benching in two recent Premier League matches. Salah, 33, didn’t feature in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over West Ham United and was only brought on as a substitute during the 1-1 draw against Sunderland.

Despite signing a two-year contract extension in April, Salah has netted five goals in 19 appearances this season but has struggled to replicate the form that propelled Liverpool to the league title last year. Van Dijk underscored the notion that no player holds a permanent place in the lineup and that consistent performance is essential for retaining a starting role.

“Mo has been performing well, but the manager opted for a different strategy in the last two matches. We all desire the best for the club,” said Van Dijk. He reassured fans that Salah remains a crucial player and will have a significant impact as Liverpool continues its campaign.

Currently, Liverpool sits ninth in the Premier League, accumulating 22 points from 14 matches and trailing Arsenal by 11 points. Van Dijk stressed that Salah is still an outstanding player, and the team needs him to return to peak form to enhance their performance this season.