EPL

Salah on the bench as Liverpool look to close gap on Manchester City at Arsenal

By Sports Desk March 16, 2022

Mohamed Salah was named on the substitutes' bench for Liverpool's trip to Arsenal on Wednesday. 

The Egyptian sustained a foot injury in the 2-0 win at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, having already scored a penalty at the Amex Stadium. 

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp was confident the Premier League's top scorer would be fit for the game at Emirates Stadium, labelling him a "tough cookie", but Salah was only deemed fit for the bench. 

Klopp made two changes from the team that won at Brighton, with Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota replacing Naby Keita and Salah. 

Salah leads the league's scoring charts with 20 goals, comfortably ahead of Jota, Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo (12). 

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta named the same XI that won 2-0 against Leicester City on Sunday as he looked to do his former club Manchester City a favour. 

Liverpool would move just one point behind City with a win on Wednesday after the Premier League leaders drew 0-0 at Crystal Palace on Monday. 

The Gunners would further cement their place in the top four with a win, sitting a point ahead of Manchester United but with three games in hand. 

Liverpool have won their last two away games against Arsenal in all competitions, as many as they had in their previous 24 visits to the Emirates/Highbury combined (D10 L12). The Reds have never won three in a row away against the north London side in their history. 

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