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MOHAMED SALAH JOINS LIVERPOOL SQUAD FOR MARSEILLE CLASH AFTER AFCON RETURN

Mohamed Salah returns to Liverpool’s lineup against Marseille. Arne Slot shuts down rift rumors and eyes the UCL knockouts.

Mohamed Salah joins Liverpool squad for Marseille clash after AFCON return
Salah is back!

Mohamed Salah looks set to jump straight back into Liverpool’s starting lineup against Marseille on Wednesday. Arne Slot made it clear he’s got no problems with the Egyptian forward.

Salah joined Liverpool training on Tuesday for the first time since coming back from the Africa Cup of Nations. His dream of winning a first continental title with Egypt ended in the semi-finals against Senegal, who went on to win it all. Before he left for Morocco, people were already questioning his Liverpool future. He’d accused the club of hanging him out to dry after some poor results, and his relationship with Slot seemed to be on the rocks.

No one really knows what’s next for Salah at Liverpool, but Slot insists there’s nothing personal going on from his side. He pretty much said Salah’s coming straight back into the squad for the Champions League clash in France. If Liverpool wins in Marseille, they’re through to the knockout rounds.

Slot explained, “There was one time I chose not to play Mo, and one time I didn’t take him to a game—the Inter match after his big interview. Every other match, he’s been in the squad. He was the first sub against Brighton. So for me, there’s never been an issue. First chance I get, he’s back in the squad. Check the lineup tomorrow if you still think there’s a problem.”

Since Slot first dropped Salah at West Ham, Liverpool have gone unbeaten in 12 games. Still, Slot admits they’ve missed Salah’s impact. “I’m really happy he’s back,” he said. “We’ve done alright without him—barely conceded and created a lot of chances. But when you’re creating that much, having Salah makes a difference.”

“There’s only one player who’s scored more for Liverpool, but I don’t think I can put Ian Rush out there anymore!” Slot joked. Roger Hunt actually scored more, too, though some of those were in Division Two. “It’s just good to have Mo back. Against Burnley, with all those chances and possession, you’d back Salah to score more.”

Ibrahima Konaté didn’t make the trip to Marseille because of a family issue. As for pressure, someone asked Slot if he feels it more now that Xabi Alonso is out of a job and if Alonso—a Liverpool favourite—has been in touch.

Slot laughed it off. “Yeah, he called me and said, ‘What do you think about the team? I’m taking over in six months. Can you fill me in?’ Maybe he takes over tomorrow. No, seriously, that’s one of the weirdest questions I’ve had. What’s there to say?”

“I’ve been here a bit over a year and a half, and I really enjoy the job. We won the league last season; this year’s been tougher, that’s clear. There’s not much else to add.”

LEAGUE UPDATE: MAN UNITED’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HOPES BOOSTED BY COEFFICIENT POINTS SURGE

Manchester United move into fourth place as England's dominant UEFA coefficient makes a fifth Champions League spot almost certain.

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Confirmed: Fifth place in PL likely to earn UCL qualification this season

Manchester United just got a real shot in the arm for their Champions League hopes this season. After knocking off Manchester City and Arsenal in back-to-back games, they’ve climbed into fourth place in the Premier League. It’s been a struggle for United to make the Champions League in recent years—their last run was in the 2023/24 season.

These days, finishing in the top four isn’t always enough for Premier League teams. UEFA now hands out extra spots, and it all depends on how clubs from each country perform across the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.

So, how does it work? UEFA takes each league’s overall coefficient score—basically, a measure of how well their teams do in Europe—and divides it by the number of clubs they have in these competitions.

This season, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Newcastle all joined the European fight. Out of those six, only Newcastle had to go through the play-offs; the rest sailed straight into the knockouts.

Now that the Champions League group stage is done, you can really see which countries are in line for those bonus spots next year. Right now, England is out in front with 180,625 points. Germany follows with 107,000. Portugal sits in third with 14,700, and Spain is just behind on 14,375.

Here’s the key thing: the two countries whose teams rack up the best results across all three competitions this season each get a European Performance Spot—an extra Champions League place.

With England leading the pack, even a fifth-place finish in the Premier League could send United back into the Champions League instead of the Europa League. Newcastle took advantage of this last season.

If United hold onto fourth, they’re in. But there’s still a lot of football left. Interim boss Michael Carrick isn’t letting anyone get ahead of themselves—he’s already told his players to stay sharp.

Next up, United face Fulham at Old Trafford. They'll be chasing a third straight win and looking to keep Carrick’s perfect record going since he stepped in for Darren Fletcher.

JUST IN: PEP GUARDIOLA THANKS JOSE MOURINHO AFTER WILD NIGHT OF EUROPEAN DRAMA

Pep Guardiola thanks Jose Mourinho as Benfica’s last-gasp winner against Real Madrid sends City straight into the Last-16.

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Pep Guardiola’s oldest rival just saved City’s season

Pep Guardiola had a smile on his face and a message for Jose Mourinho after his old rival did him a huge favour, helping Manchester City sneak into the Champions League knockout rounds.

City took care of their own business, beating Galatasaray 2-0 at the Etihad. Haaland and Cherki got the goals, but the real drama was happening elsewhere. City’s spot in the last eight still hung in the balance because Real Madrid needed to equalise against Benfica. If they had, Guardiola’s squad would have been bumped into the play-offs instead.

That’s when Benfica’s goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, pulled off something wild. He left his box, charged forward for a late free kick, and scored a brilliant goal. Benfica won 4-2. That goal kept Benfica alive in the competition—and, as it turned out, saved City too.

Guardiola admitted he and his players were glued to the screen in the dressing room, completely confused when they saw Trubin running up for that last free kick. “We were all in there, watching, and none of us realised Benfica still needed a goal to qualify,” Guardiola said. “So when their keeper went up, we’re all thinking, ‘What are you doing?’ But Jose knew. It was a smart move. Finishing in the top eight, with how tough the Champions League has become, feels really good for us. Now we can focus on being at our best by March.”

Bernardo Silva didn’t hide how relieved he felt. Skipping those extra play-off games really matters, especially when you’re chasing a quadruple. “A bit of drama, but we did it. We’re very happy because we avoid two more matches,” he said. “With all the injuries we’ve got and the crazy schedule, having those two weeks free to rest, get players back, and focus on the other competitions is huge for us.”

As for Mourinho, he looked proud after Benfica’s wild finish. He’s won this tournament twice before, and he believed his side deserved to stay in. “That was a fantastic goal, a historic moment—almost blew the roof off the stadium,” Mourinho said. “Honestly, for Benfica to beat Real Madrid, that’s massive.”

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