Red ribbons and Palestinian flags were seen in London at a vigil calling for the release of thousands of Palestinians being held without charge in Israeli prisons. The vigil focused on Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, who’s been held for nearly one year. Al Jazeera’s Milena Veselinovic was there.
Published On 20 Dec 202520 Dec 2025
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Defending champions Liverpool win 2-1 at Tottenham to climb to fifth in the Premier League table.
Published On 20 Dec 202520 Dec 2025
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Alexander Isak endured a bittersweet evening as the Liverpool striker scored before limping off injured in a chaotic 2-1 win over nine-man Tottenham.
Isak put Liverpool ahead in the second half in north London on Saturday after Tottenham’s Xavi Simons was sent off before the interval for a nasty lunge on Virgil van Dijk.
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It was only Isak’s third goal in 16 games in all competitions since his British record 125-million-pound ($166m) move from Newcastle on transfer deadline day.
Yet in keeping with Isak’s troubled start to life with the Premier League champions, the 26-year-old was unable to fully enjoy his goal as he was forced to come off after being injured by Micky van de Ven’s failed attempt to stop him scoring.
Hugo Ekitike’s fifth goal in his last four appearances put Liverpool in command before Richarlison’s reply set up a tense finale that came to a head with Tottenham defender Romero’s dismissal in stoppage time.
Arne Slot’s side are up to fifth place in the Premier League after extending their unbeaten run to six games in all competitions, further distancing them from the miserable run of nine defeats in 12 that plunged them into crisis.
While Liverpool steadied the ship with a third successive win, Isak’s injury could not have come at a worse time following Mohamed Salah’s departure for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Slot claimed on Friday that Liverpool had “moved on” from the Salah controversy after his explosive interview two weeks ago in which he said he had been thrown under the bus by the club and no longer had a relationship with the Reds boss.
He was dropped from the squad for a Champions League game at Inter Milan but returned as a substitute in last week’s victory over Brighton.
The 33-year-old is now on international duty with Egypt for several weeks, making Isak’s injury an especially painful blow if he is ruled out for a prolonged period.
Slot will spend Christmas sweating on Isak’s fitness, and Tottenham manager Thomas Frank’s festive period will be even more fraught.
Last weekend’s limp 3-0 loss at Nottingham Forest sparked debate over the Dane’s future in his rocky first season in charge.
Tottenham are languishing in 13th place after winning just one of their last eight league games.
Ange Postecoglou was sacked despite winning the Europa League last season to end Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought, and Frank is in danger of suffering the same fate as the Australian if results do not improve soon.
Simons left Tottenham with a mountain to climb in the 33rd minute when he raked his studs down Van Dijk’s calf with an ugly challenge from behind.
Initially booked for the foul, Simons was shown the red card after a VAR review.
Slot sent on Isak for the injured Conor Bradley at half-time and it took the Sweden striker just 11 minutes to make an impact as Liverpool broke the deadlock with a goal 300 million pounds ($399m) in the making.
All three of Liverpool’s costly close-season signings combined as Ekitike picked out Florian Wirtz, and he slipped a perfectly weighted pass to Isak, who timed his run to drill a clinical finish past Guglielmo Vicario from 10 yards.
Ekitike doubled Liverpool’s lead in the 66th minute.
Jeremie Frimpong’s deflected cross looped into the six-yard box, where Ekitike out-jumped Romero to thump his header into the top corner.
Richarlison reduced the deficit with a close-range blast after Reds captain van Dijk miscued a clearance in the 83rd minute.
But, with the visitors wobbling, Romero’s second booking for kicking Ibrahima Konate let Liverpool off the hook.
Follow our live build-up, with full team news coverage, before our text commentary stream of the EPL clash in London.
Published On 20 Dec 202520 Dec 2025
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Who: Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool
What: English Premier League
Where: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, United Kingdom
When: Saturday December 20, at 5:30pm (17:30 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream. Click here to follow our live coverage.
Defending champions Liverpool will seek back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since September when they visit Tottenham on Saturday, but the Reds’ woes are far from a distant memory.
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The pressure building on manager Arne Slot, who last year won the title in his first season in charge, was mounting after a run of nine defeats in 12.
The public fallout between the Anfield club and their star forward, Mohamed Salah, has overshadowed the Slot situation – but it has not gone away. Spurs similarly had a sticky run of six defeats in 10 games during October and November and it has hardly improved since.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at a game that sees both managers concerned for their immediate futures.
Salah has now departed for Egypt duty at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, but it has not changed his situation at Anfield.
Ever since the 33-year-old claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by the Reds for their woeful season – after he was dropped to the bench for three consecutive games – rumours had been rife that his time on Merseyside was coming to an end.
The Saudi Pro League have made no secret of their desire to make a move for Salah, who was dropped from Liverpool’s squad for their Champions League match in Milan following his outburst.
The forward did return to the bench for the visit of Brighton in the Premier League last week but his time away at AFCON is likely to be surrounded by speculation that the January transfer window will see a switch to Saudi Arabia.
Tottenham were soundly beaten 3-0 at Nottingham Forest last Sunday, in a game that saw rumours of Thomas Frank’s demise as Spurs manager increase.
Callum Hudson-Odoi scored the first two goals for the home side before Ibrahim Sangare ended any hopes of a Spurs comeback in the 79th minute.
Liverpool put aside the Salah saga and the speculation about Slot’s future with a 2-0 win against Brighton at Anfield last Saturday.
Hugo Ekitike scored both goals, the opener in the first minute of the match, while Salah was an early first-half substitute and assisted for the second from a corner kick.
Whether that was Salah’s last game as a Red remains to be seen.
Tottenham began their Premier League campaign, Frank’s first in charge, with a run of only one defeat in their opening seven games. The North Londoners have since lost five of their last nine in the league.
The run of six defeats in 10, in all competitions, has been followed by two wins, and the defeat by Forest, in their last four in all competitions. It is just one win in seven, however, in the league – a run that has seen Spurs slip into the bottom half of the table.
Liverpool won their opening seven games of the season in all competitions, excluding the preseason Community Shield defeat on penalties against Crystal Palace.
Four straight defeats followed, which began the run of nine defeats in 12. In Premier League terms, the Reds have only won three of 11 games – losing six. On the back of winning their first five league games of the season, the Anfield club have been able to hold onto a top-half position in the league, and they start the latest round of matches in seventh position – 10 points of leaders Arsenal, who travel to Everton Saturday evening.
Tottenham lifted the UEFA Europa League last season, but that was not enough to stop Ange Postecoglou from being axed at the end of the campaign. The recent run of matches has resulted in huge pressure being placed on Frank.
The biggest rumour to mount has been that former Spain and Barcelona midfielder, Xavi, is being lined up to replace Frank.
Spurs have been renowned for being a sacking club, with Frank being the fifth permanent manager since Mauricio Pochettino was sacked in 2019.
Should Frank be shown the door, his would not be the shortest tenure of a Spurs manager in recent times – Nuno Espirito Santo lasted only four months and two days during his 2021 stint in charge.
Liverpool thumped Tottenham 5-1 in the Premier League at Anfield in April when the sides last met.
Dominic Solanke gave Spurs a 12th-minute lead before Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo responded for the Reds by the break.
Mohamed Salah and a Destiny Udogie own goal completed the rout in the second period.
It was a Premier League double for Liverpool last season as they won the first meeting of the last campaign with a nine-goal thriller at Tottenham on December 22.
The 6-3 win for the Reds saw Diaz and Salah both hit braces in a game where the away side led 3-1 at the break, and 5-1 by the 61st minute.
Tottenham did actually manage to beat Liverpool last season in the first leg of their League Cup semifinal. The 1-0 home win wasn’t enough for Spurs, however, as the Reds had the last laugh, winning 4-0 in the return fixture at Anfield.
Lucas Bergvall scored the only goal in London, while the aggregate score was level at the break in the second leg after Gakpo’s first-half strike. Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk settled matters in the second period.
Tottenham’s last league win against Liverpool came in September 2023, courtesy of a 2-1 home.
Curtis Jones saw red in the 26nd minute with Son Hueng-min netting Spurs’ first 10 minutes later.
Gakpo levelled for the Reds on the stroke of half-time but the second half went from bad to worse as Diogo Jota was given his marching orders in 69th minute before Joel Matip put through his own net in the final minute of the game.
This is the 186th meeting between the sides, with Liverpool winning 90 times and Tottenham emerging victorious on 50 occasions.
The first match was in November 1909 on the old Division One (now the Premier League) with Spurs winning 1-0 in London. Liverpool won the return match that season 2-0 in March 1910.
James Maddison, Destiny Udogie, Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski are all injured, while Kota Takai and Radu Dragusin are still deemed short of match fitness as they make their returns from knocks.
Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr are both at the Africa Cup of Nations, meaning Frank is set to be without eight players for Liverpool’s visit.
Salah is the number one absentee for Liverpool, although the Egyptian did start the last four league games on the bench.
Cody Gakpo, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo are all injured while Conor Bradley is suspended.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Joe Gomez both picked up knocks in the Brighton game and are a doubt, but Jeremie Frimpong is close to a return following a hamstring injury.
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Bergvall; Kudus, Simons, Kolo Muani; Richarlison
Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Chiesa, Jones, Wirtz; Ekitike
Young resident doctors have gone on strike in the UK, demanding better pay and more training positions that will allow them to continue in their field. Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallego explains this is the 14th such strike in recent years.
Published On 17 Dec 202517 Dec 2025
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The British Medical Association is calling for improved pay and an increase in available jobs for qualified doctors.
Published On 17 Dec 202517 Dec 2025
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Resident doctors in England have begun a five-day strike in a long-running dispute over pay and working conditions.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the strike during Prime Minister’s Questions in parliament on Wednesday, describing the walkout as “dangerous and utterly irresponsible”.
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“My message to resident doctors is: don’t abandon patients,” Starmer said. He urged them to “work with us to improve conditions and rebuild the NHS”.
The prime minister also blamed the previous Conservative government for leaving the National Health Service “absolutely on its knees”.
The doctors, formerly known as junior doctors and accounting for nearly half of England’s medical workforce, walked out at 07:00 GMT on Wednesday. The strike is due to continue until 07:00 GMT on Monday.
The strike follows an online ballot organised by the British Medical Association (BMA), the union representing resident doctors. About 30,000 members voted to reject the government’s proposal, triggering the industrial action.
Jack Fletcher, a BMA representative, said the dispute centred on two main issues: pay and a lack of jobs for qualified doctors.
“There is a jobs crisis, where doctors are trained but unable to secure roles, and there is a pay crisis,” Fletcher said while standing on a picket line outside St Thomas’ Hospital in London.
“We must value our doctors in this country,” he added. “Last year, more doctors left the profession than at any point in the past decade.”
The strike comes as the NHS faces increased pressure, with flu-related hospitalisations in England rising by more than 50 percent in early December. Health authorities across Europe have also warned of an unusually early and severe flu season.
NHS England said fewer doctors than usual would be on duty during the strike period, with staff required to prioritise life-saving care.
The BMA is calling for what it describes as a “genuinely long-term plan” to address pay, after years of below-inflation rises. It is also demanding the creation of new training posts, rather than what it says are recycled positions, to allow doctors to specialise and progress.
The government’s most recent offer, made last week, did not include new pay terms. Shortly after taking office, Health Secretary Wes Streeting agreed to a deal offering a 22 percent pay rise, below the 29 percent sought by the union.
Doctors are seeking “full pay restoration”, calling for salaries to return to their 2008 and 2009 levels in real terms after years of erosion by inflation.
Fans of English novelist Jane Austen have been celebrating the anniversary of her birth 250 years ago. Al Jazeera’s Charlie Angela has been to Austen’s former home in southern England.
Published On 17 Dec 202517 Dec 2025
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Minister says probe in response to case of ex-Reform UK lawmaker Nathan Gill, jailed for taking pro-Russia bribes.
Published On 16 Dec 202516 Dec 2025
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The United Kingdom is launching an independent investigation into foreign interference in British politics, just weeks after a former Reform UK lawmaker was jailed for more than 10 years for taking bribes to make pro-Russia statements.
Steve Reed, the UK’s secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, said on Tuesday that he had ordered the probe in response to the case of Nathan Gill, a former Member of the European Parliament and ex-leader of Reform UK in Wales.
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“A British politician took bribes to further the interests of the Russian regime,” Reed said in the House of Commons. “This conduct is a stain on our democracy. The independent review will work to remove that stain.”
Gill was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison on November 21.
He pleaded guilty in September to accepting thousands of euros from a pro-Russian politician in Ukraine between 2018 and 2019, and making scripted statements and television appearances at his behest.
The case had spurred widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum, with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party – which has been leading most polls – last month describing Gill’s actions as “reprehensible, treasonous and unforgivable”.
On Tuesday, Conservative MP Paul Holmes welcomed the independent review into foreign interference as a necessary step.
“Protecting the integrity of our democratic system from foreign interference is not a partisan issue. It goes to the heart of public trust in our elections,” Holmes told the House.
“Interference in our elections from foreign actors is something that we must all be vigilant against.”
Reed, the housing minister, said the independent probe would be led by Philip Rycroft, former UK permanent secretary for the Department for Exiting the European Union.
“The purpose of the review is to provide an in-depth assessment of the current financial rules and safeguards and make recommendations,” said Reed, adding that Rycroft has been asked to report his findings to the government by the end of March.
The minister noted that the British government put forward a strategy “for modern and secure elections” earlier this year in a push to address foreign interference and public distrust in the electoral system, among other issues.
But Reed said on Tuesday that “events have shown that we need to consider whether our firewall is enough”.
“The independent review will look at this,” he said, including by evaluating the UK’s existing political finance laws, systems to identify and mitigate foreign interference, and safeguards against illicit funding streams.
Published On 16 Dec 202516 Dec 2025
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A British driver who injured more than 130 people by ploughing his car into a crowd of Liverpool football fans during a championship victory parade in May has been sentenced to 21-and-a-half years.
Paul Doyle, 54, rammed his minivan into the mass of fans in the city of Liverpool simply because he lost his temper, according to prosecutors. Last month, he pleaded guilty to charges including nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and 17 counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.
“The footage is truly shocking,” Judge Andrew Menary said on Tuesday.
“It is difficult if not impossible to convey in words alone the scenes of devastation you caused. It shows you deliberately accelerating into groups of fans, time and time again.”
More to come…
Lawyers for US President Donald Trump say the BBC caused him overwhelming reputational and financial harm.
Published On 16 Dec 202516 Dec 2025
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United States President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit seeking at least $10bn from the BBC over a documentary that edited his speech to supporters before the US Capitol riot in 2021.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Miami on Monday, seeks “damages in an amount not less than $5,000,000,000” for each of two counts against the United Kingdom broadcaster for alleged defamation and violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
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Earlier in the day, Trump confirmed his plans to file the lawsuit.
“I’m suing the BBC for putting words in my mouth, literally… I guess they used AI or something,” he told reporters at the White House.
“That’s called fake news .”
President Trump: “I’m suing the BBC for putting words in my mouth, literally…I guess they used AI or something…they actually put terrible words in my mouth having to do with January 6th that I didn’t say.” pic.twitter.com/cUwXqBq3Zd
— CSPAN (@cspan) December 15, 2025
Trump has accused the UK publicly-owned broadcaster of defaming him by splicing together parts of a January 6, 2021, speech, including one section where he told supporters to march on the Capitol, and another where he said, “Fight like hell”.
The edited sections of his speech omitted words in which Trump also called for peaceful protest.
Trump’s lawsuit alleges that the BBC defamed him, and his lawyers say the documentary caused him overwhelming reputational and financial harm.
The BBC has already apologised to Trump, admitted an error of judgement and acknowledged that the edit gave the mistaken impression that he had made a direct call for violent action.
The broadcaster also said that there was no legal basis for the lawsuit, and that to overcome the US Constitution’s strong legal protections for free speech and the press, Trump will need to prove in court not only that the edit was false and defamatory, but also that the BBC knowingly misled viewers or acted recklessly.
The broadcaster could argue that the documentary was substantially true and its editing decisions did not create a false impression, legal experts said. It could also claim the programme did not damage Trump’s reputation.
Trump, in his lawsuit, said that the BBC, despite its apology, “has made no showing of actual remorse for its wrongdoing nor meaningful institutional changes to prevent future journalistic abuses”.
A spokesman for Trump’s legal team said in a statement that the BBC had “a long pattern of deceiving its audience in coverage of President Trump, all in service of its own leftist political agenda”.
The BBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment after the lawsuit was filed on Monday.
The dispute over the edited speech, featured on the BBC’s Panorama documentary show shortly before the 2024 presidential election, prompted a public relations crisis for the broadcaster, leading to the resignations of its two most senior officials.
Other media organisations have settled with Trump, including CBS and ABC, when Trump sued them following his comeback win in the November 2024 election.
Trump has also filed lawsuits against The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and a newspaper in Iowa, all of which have denied wrongdoing.
Physicians are seeking a return of salaries to their 2008-2009 levels before they were eroded by inflation.
Published On 15 Dec 202515 Dec 2025
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Resident doctors in England will go ahead with a five-day strike this week after rejecting the government’s latest offer aimed at ending a long-running dispute over pay and working conditions.
Formerly known as junior doctors, the physicians, who make up nearly half of England’s medical workforce, will walk out from 07:00 GMT on Wednesday until 07:00 GMT next Monday.
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The action follows an online survey by the British Medical Association (BMA) in which members voted to reject the proposal.
“Tens of thousands of frontline doctors have come together to say ‘no’ to what is clearly too little, too late,” BMA resident doctors committee chairman Jack Fletcher said in a statement, adding that members had rejected the government’s latest offer on working conditions.
Fletcher said the union remained willing to work towards a resolution.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting appealed to doctors to call off the strike.
“There is no need for these strikes to go ahead this week, and it reveals the BMA’s shocking disregard for patient safety,” he said, describing the action as “self-indulgent, irresponsible and dangerous”.
Speaking to Sky News, Streeting said the government was open to the BMA rescheduling the strike to reduce risks to patients during a surge in flu cases.
Flu-related hospitalisations in England rose by more than 50 percent in early December, reaching an average of 2,660 patients a day, the highest level for this time of year. Health leaders have warned there is still no clear peak in sight.
Across Europe, health authorities are grappling with an unusually early and severe flu season, warning of rising cases across the continent.
The BMA said 83 percent of resident doctors voted to reject the government’s offer with a turnout of 65 percent among its more than 50,000 members.
The offer, made on Wednesday, did not include new pay terms. The BMA has been campaigning for improved pay even before the Labour Party won last year’s general election.
Shortly after taking office, Streeting agreed a deal offering doctors a 22 percent pay rise, short of the 29 percent sought by the union.
The BMA has also called for improvements beyond the 5.4 percent pay increase announced earlier this year, arguing resident doctors continue to suffer from years of pay erosion.
Doctors are seeking “full pay restoration”, meaning a return of salaries to their 2008-2009 levels in real terms before they were eroded by inflation.
Al Jazeera takes a look at the third Ashes Test between Australia and England, which is being played in Adelaide.
England face a series-defining third Ashes Test in Australia, knowing defeat will see their hosts retain the famous urn, but also have the chance of whitewashing their old enemy.
The match begins in Adelaide on Tuesday, where an unassailable 3-0 lead is in sight for the Aussies.
Australia won the first Test inside two days in Perth as Travis Head’s century made short work of his side’s target, while the Aussies needed only four days in Brisbane to secure the second match of the series.
Published On 14 Dec 202514 Dec 2025
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Mohamed Salah came off the bench to assist the second of Hugo Ekitike’s double as Liverpool returned to winning ways.
Mohamed Salah set up a goal in Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Brighton as he returned to action after an explosive outburst cast doubt over his future at the Premier League champions.
The Egypt forward, the subject of intense scrutiny in the build-up to the game at Anfield, came off the substitutes’ bench to huge cheers in the 26th minute on Saturday, replacing injured defender Joe Gomez.
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The home team, whose title defence has collapsed after a shocking run of results, were leading 1-0 at the time, with France forward Hugo Ekitike on the scoresheet after just 46 seconds.
Brighton squandered a number of opportunities to level, and Ekitike scored again with half an hour to go to give Liverpool breathing space.
Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after he was left on the bench for last week’s 3-3 draw at Leeds – the third match in a row that he had been named among the replacements.
He also said that he had no relationship with manager Arne Slot.
Salah was omitted from the midweek Champions League trip to Inter Milan, which Liverpool won 1-0, posting a picture on social media of himself alone in the gym.
Slot said at Friday’s pre-match news conference that he would speak to the forward later in the day, adding, “I have no reasons [in] not wanting him to stay.”
There was feverish speculation in the build-up to Saturday’s match about what role Salah would play, with the winger named on the bench.
Liverpool, who had won just two of 10 Premier League matches before the Brighton game, made a lightning start, taking the lead in the first minute when Joe Gomez set up Ekitike, who thumped the ball past Bart Verbruggen.
Salah entered the fray about 20 minutes before half-time when Gomez was withdrawn.
Brighton’s Diego Gomez squandered a good chance to level early in the second half, striking the ball against the outside of a post, and Brajan Gruda also went close as the home crowd chanted Salah’s name.
Liverpool doubled their lead in the 60th minute when Ekitike scored his second, nodding home Salah’s corner.
Salah himself went close in stoppage time after he was set up by Federico Chiesa, but he blazed over.
The win lifts Slot’s men to sixth in the table ahead of the later kickoffs on Saturday, easing the pressure on the beleaguered manager.
Salah, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April, is about to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The length of his absence depends on how far Egypt go in the competition in Morocco, with the final taking place on January 18.
The forward, who has been linked with a move to the lucrative Saudi Pro League, had invited his family to the Brighton game as speculation swirled over his future.
“I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to the Africa Cup,” he told reporters last week. “I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”
Salah, third in Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts with 250 goals, has won two Premier League titles and one Champions League crown during his spell on Merseyside.
He scored 29 Premier League goals last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title, but has managed just four league goals this season.
Who: Liverpool vs Brighton
What: English Premier League
Where: Anfield in Liverpool, United Kingdom
When: Saturday, December 9, at 3pm (15:00)
How to follow: We’ll have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 12:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.
All eyes will be on the Liverpool team sheet when it is released at roughly the same time the bus carrying the squad will arrive at Anfield for the Brighton match on Saturday.
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Speculation is rife that the Premier League match could be Mohamed Salah’s last for the defending champions, following the public fallout with the club.
The Reds, and their beleaguered manager Arne Slot, will hope the focus is very much on the football and turning around a form book that has seen the Merseyside club fall to 10th in the table.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at a game that will be the focus of the Saturday agenda in the English top flight, and beyond.
Salah has not started a game for Liverpool since the 4-1 defeat at PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League on November 26.
The Egyptian forward was benched for the following three Premier League games and, following fierce criticism of the club’s treatment of him, was then dropped from the squad that travelled to Italy to face Inter Milan on Tuesday – a game the Reds won 1-0.
Speculation has mounted surrounding a move to the Saudi Pro League since Salah’s outburst following last Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds United, when the 33-year-old claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” for their recent woes on the field.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot said on Friday morning that he would speak with Salah to decide whether the forward would return to the match-day squad for the Brighton game.
The eyes and ears of the world, and in particular in Saudi Arabia, will be on the Anfield club for news of the team and the squad before kickoff against Brighton on Saturday.
The Reds have lost six of their games in the Premier League this season – part of a run that saw them lose nine of 12 games in all competitions.
The struggling title holders have taken five points from their last three league games, however, starting with a 2-0 win at West Ham – the first game of Salah’s exile from the starting lineup.
The last two matches, though, have seen the Reds held to a 1-1 home draw by newly promoted Sunderland, before the draw at Leeds that led to Salah’s outburst.
Brighton’s solid season sees them sit two places above Liverpool on goal difference.
A win for either side could result in them climbing as high as fourth.
One league win in five to begin the season left the Seagulls sitting slightly perilously, but a run of only two defeats in 11 in the English top flight followed, with six wins in that time.
That form had expectations flying high on the south coast before two home games, but a 4-3 defeat by Aston Villa was followed by a 1-1 draw with West Ham in their last match.
We go again. pic.twitter.com/2tFFXx1Bh9
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 12, 2025
Brighton were 3-2 winners in a Premier League fixture on May 19, in the last encounter between the sides.
Liverpool twice took the lead in the first half of the game at Amex Stadium through Harvey Elliott and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Yasin Ayari’s 31st-minute goal kept the Seagulls in the game at the break before Kaoru Mitoma and Jack Hinshelwood, who netted five minutes from time, turned the game around in the second period.
Liverpool were 2-1 winners in the preceding match at Anfield last season, but were forced to come from behind after Ferdi Kadioglu gave the away team the lead in the 14th minute.
The Seagulls held the lead until the 70th minute, when Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah scored twice in three minutes to set up the win.
This is the 44th meeting between the sides, with Liverpool winning 23 of those encounters and Brighton emerging victorious on 8 occasions.
The fixture dates back to 1907 and an FA Cup tie at Anfield, where Brighton secured a 1-1 draw. Liverpool made no mistake in the reply, however, winning 3-0 on the south coast.
Brighton would have to wait a further six games for their first win against Liverpool, a 3-1 victory in the old second division of English football (now known as the Championship).
There is a question mark over Alexander Isak’s status for Saturday, with Slot saying the forward picked up a knock in the first half against Inter Milan, and that he will be evaluated on Friday before they decide whether or not he can start.
Slot is pleased with how Isak and Hugo Ekitike have played together, saying their partnership will continue to improve.
“The more they play together, the more they will adapt to each other and the better they will cooperate,” Slot said. “I saw promising things from the both of them, it’s only the second time they’ve played together. We will see more of them playing together in the future.”
Slot will have Federico Chiesa available on Saturday after he recovered from illness, while Wataru Endo and Cody Gakpo are expected to be out for a “few weeks”.
Stefanos Tzimas, Solly March, Adam Webster are all absent with knee injuries, while James Milner is also out for several months with a muscle problem.
Kaoru Mitoma will have a fitness test as he attempts a comeback from an ankle problem which has kept him out since September.
Yasin Ayari and Tom Watson could both return from knocks, but both are still being monitored at this stage.
Alisson; Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Jones, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Isak, Wirtz
Verbruggen; Wieffer, Dunk, van Hecke, Kadioglu; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Rutter, De Cuyper; Welbeck
Follow the build-up, analysis and live text commentary of the game as Madrid host City at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Published On 10 Dec 202510 Dec 2025
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Salah’s relationship with Liverpool is strained, but the disgruntled star will be welcomed by Egypt teammates for AFCON, beginning December 21.
While the future of Mohamed Salah at Liverpool hangs in the balance, Egypt teammates have rallied behind the national team captain ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
The record seven-time continental champions are in Group B with Angola, South Africa and Zimbabwe, and will be based in the southern coastal city of Agadir throughout the first round.
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“Players like him do not get benched,” said striker Ahmed “Kouka” Hassan on social media, referring to Salah being a substitute in the last three Liverpool fixtures, and coming on only once.
“If he starts on the bench, you must make sure he is the first to come on, after 60 minutes, 65 at the latest.
“Mo is not just a teammate, he is a leader, a legend for club and country. Keep working hard, brother, every situation in life is temporary, moments like this pass, what stays is your greatness.”
Head coach and former star Hossam Hassan posted a photograph of himself and Salah and a message: “Always a symbol of perseverance and strength.”
“The greatest Liverpool legend of all time,” wrote winger Ahmed “Zizo” El Sayed. Goalkeeper Mohamed Sobhy called Salah “always the best”.
Liverpool have struggled in their title defence this season and lie 10th after 15 rounds, 10 points behind leaders Arsenal. Salah has also battled with just four goals in 13 top-flight appearances.
After twice surrendering the lead in a 3-3 draw at Leeds United last Saturday, Salah told reporters, “It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus”.
“I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame (for the slump) … someone does not want me in the club.”
Salah was omitted from the squad that travelled to Milan for a Champions League clash with Inter on Tuesday and has hinted that he may not play for Liverpool again.
Saudi Arabia says it will do “whatever it can” to recruit Salah during the mid-season transfer window, a Public Investment Fund (PIF) source in the kingdom told AFP.
Although Egypt last won the AFCON 15 years ago in Luanda, Salah, 33, believes they will lift the trophy again before he retires.
“It will happen – that is what I believe. It is a great feeling every time you step on the field wearing the Egyptian colours.”
Salah has suffered much heartbreak in four AFCON tournaments as Egypt twice finished runners-up and twice exited in the round of 16.
He created the goal that put the Pharaohs ahead in the 2017 final, but Cameroon clawed back to win 2-1 in Libreville.
Hosts and title favourites Egypt were stunned by South Africa in the first knockout round two years later, conceding a late goal to lose 1-0.
Egypt reached the final again in 2022, only to lose on penalties to Senegal after 120 goalless minutes in Yaounde.
In the Ivory Coast last year, Salah suffered a hamstring injury against Ghana and took no further part in the tournament. Egypt lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a last-16 clash.
This year, Egypt boast an array of attacking talent with Salah, Omar Marmoush from Manchester City, Mostafa Mohamed of Nantes and Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan and Zizo from Cairo giants Al Ahly.
Group B is the only one of the six in Morocco featuring two qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, with Egypt and South Africa heading to the global showpiece in North America.
South Africa exceeded expectations by finishing third at the 2024 AFCON, but Belgian coach Hugo Broos expects a tougher campaign in a tournament that kicks off on December 21.
“It will be harder because every opponent will be more motivated to beat us after our bronze medals,” said the tactician who guided Cameroon to the 2017 AFCON title.
Angola and Zimbabwe recently changed coaches, with France-born Patrice Beaumelle and Romanian Mario Marinica hired.
The Angolans have reached the quarterfinals three times, including last year, while the Zimbabweans have never gone beyond the first round.
Follow the build-up, analysis and live text commentary as Inter host Liverpool for league-phase game at the San Siro.
Published On 9 Dec 20259 Dec 2025
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Egypt international Mohamed Salah is attracting interest from the Saudi Pro League amid doubt about Liverpool future.
Published On 9 Dec 20259 Dec 2025
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Saudi Arabia says it will do “whatever it can” to recruit unsettled Liverpool star Mohamed Salah during the winter transfer window, a source at the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has revealed.
“We follow Salah’s position thoroughly and believe there can be a move either by loan or buying his contract,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity on Tuesday, referring to the standoff between the Egyptian and Liverpool.
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“There is still no direct negotiations or talks with the club at the moment but there will be a move at the right moment.”
The PIF source said the wealthy Gulf monarchy wanted to sign the Egyptian winger in January, during the next transfer window, to join stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.
PIF holds a 75 percent share in Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad, but the source said it was not alone in wanting the Arab world’s biggest football star.
“There is a competition inside the Saudi league who will bring Salah,” the source said, adding that a club affiliated with Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil and gas company was also interested.
“Aramco’s Al Qadsiah has shown an interest, too. So it’s not only the PIF-affiliated clubs.”
Ronaldo plays for Al-Nassr, Salah’s former Liverpool teammate, Darwin Nunez, is at Al-Hillal, another former Premier League player of the season, N’Golo Kante, is at Al-Ittihad, but Salah is the biggest football star from an Arab country.
Salah said, after he was an unused substitute in the 3-3 draw with Leeds on Sunday, that he felt like he had been “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool and no longer had a relationship with manager Arne Slot.
The 33-year-old Egypt forward was then left out of Liverpool’s squad for their Champions League tie at Inter Milan on Tuesday.
Salah has played a key role in Liverpool’s two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph during his iconic spell on Merseyside. He signed a contract extension in April as he led Liverpool to the title.
Salah is set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations after next weekend’s home match against Brighton in the Premier League.
He hinted that the Brighton game could be his last with the Reds before leaving during the winter transfer window.
In 2024-25, Salah scored 29 goals and provided 18 assists last season, but he has been a shadow of his former self during Liverpool’s struggles this season — the title-holders are 10th in the table — with just four goals in 13 top-flight appearances.
“All players have their ups and downs. Salah is just 33 and has a lot to do here,” said the PIF source.
“Salah is a beloved footballer around the globe and will have a massive impact on the Saudi League both on and off the pitch.”
“I hope he continues at Liverpool and Arne Slot gets sacked.” Mohamed Salah fans at the Arab Cup told Al Jazeera’s Rylee Carlson he has done a lot for his club and shouldn’t be sidelined. Salah had said he felt disrespected after being benched in several games, prompting a backlash from Liverpool management.
Published On 9 Dec 20259 Dec 2025
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