'Benching Mo should be warning to other Reds stars'

VAN DIJK: NO-ONE HAS UNLIMITED CREDIT

- By CARL MARKHAM

LIVERPOOL captain Virgil van Dijk admitted Mohamed Salah's omission from the team for the second successive match should serve as a reminder that no-one's place is guaranteed.

The Egypt international was an unused substitute for Sunday's win at West Ham and he was on the bench for the 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland, the first time in his Anfield career he had not started in back-to-back league matches.

He did get on for the second half but struggled to make an impact and is now goalless in five matches, with a longer trend of scoring seven times in 30 appearances contributing to his vulnerability in the starting lineup.

Salah may have scored 250 goals across eight and a bit seasons - never managing fewer than 23 - but he has got just two since September 17 with his malaise being reflected across the squad in general.