Jurgen Klopp’s decision to include Mohamed Salah in Liverpool’s leadership group could see him captain the team in the Premier League for the first time.
Salah has cemented his place as one of the greatest players in Liverpool’s history.
Although he has never been a standout contender for the captaincy – given the presence of more natural candidates in the squad – Klopp brought the former Chelsea forward into the leadership group in the summer of 2023.
After the departures of former captain Jordan Henderson and frequent fill-in skipper James Milner, Salah was elevated to join the leadership group, which also includes Andrew Robertson, Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The latter two were selected as the club’s captain and vice-captain, respectively.
While Salah has worn the armband in the Europa League and League Cup, he has never captained Liverpool in the Premier League.
That could change when Arne Slot’s side travels to Southampton this Sunday.
Robertson, the current third-choice captain, has led the team on six occasions, while Alisson, as fourth-choice, has worn the armband three times.
If all five members of the leadership group are absent from the starting XI, the Reds’ longest-serving player assumes the captaincy.
Van Dijk has been a constant presence in Liverpool’s Premier League and Champions League line-ups this season, with the armband only temporarily passed on during the League Cup.
Joe Gomez captained the team in the third-round victory over West Ham as the club’s longest-serving player, while Robertson wore the armband in the fourth-round match against Brighton.
However, with Van Dijk recently withdrawing from the Netherlands squad due to “medical grounds,” it remains uncertain whether he will be fit for the upcoming Southampton game.
Liverpool have stated they will assess Van Dijk’s condition at the AXA Training Centre this week.
If he is unfit to start at St. Mary’s, a replacement will need to step up.
Alexander-Arnold is also a potential doubt after suffering a low-grade hamstring injury in the Aston Villa match before the international break, and Alisson’s return remains unclear after his own hamstring injury in early October.
Robertson, as the third-choice captain, would typically be next in line.
However, he has not always been a starter under Slot, with the manager alternating between Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas at left-back for much of the season.
In the 13 matches since Liverpool’s Champions League campaign began in mid-September, Robertson has started seven games, while Tsimikas has started six.
If Tsimikas is selected to start against Southampton, and with key players like Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold, and Alisson absent from the lineup, Mohamed Salah could make history by captaining Liverpool for the first time in a Premier League match.
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