Mohamed Salah is set to make a return to Liverpool for treatment following a muscle injury sustained while representing his national team, as announced by the Egyptian Football Association.
During Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations group match against Ghana on Thursday, the influential forward had to be substituted in the first half, raising concerns for both his club and country.
Subsequent report revealed that the 31-year-old would be absent for Egypt’s upcoming two matches, provided they advanced to the knockout stages in the Ivory Coast.
Contrary to previous expectations, Salah will be present for Egypt’s final Group B clash against Cape Verde on Monday, aiming to secure their spot in the last 16. Following the match, he will then head back to Liverpool for rehabilitation.
The Egyptian Football Association conveyed this update through a statement, posted on Liverpool’s official website on Sunday evening:
“After additional examinations were conducted on Mohamed Salah during the last hours, and after communication between the national team’s medical staff and his counterpart at Liverpool FC, it was decided that the player will return to England after the Cape Verde match tomorrow to complete his treatment, with the hope that he will join the national team in the semi-final of the AFCON if we qualify.”
Liverpool, the current front-runners in the Premier League, faced challenges generating opportunities in the absence of their key player during Sunday’s match against Bournemouth. However, they overcame these hurdles, securing a substantial 4-0 victory that propelled them five points ahead at the league’s summit. This impressive triumph was orchestrated by second-half braces from Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota.
Jurgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool, shared his thoughts after the triumphant performance at the Vitality Stadium. Klopp expressed that it “makes sense” for Salah to return to Merseyside from the tournament.
“That’s the plan,” the German said before the news was confirmed. “If that’s already decided 100 percent, I don’t know. But that’s the plan.
“However long he’s out, probably everybody sees it like this, it makes sense that he’s doing the rehab with us or with our people. If that’s written in stone already, I don’t know.
“I spoke with him directly after, the night when it happened. Since then he’s in contact with our doctor. I think he will be back.”
Liverpool faced a sluggish start on a soggy south coast afternoon but managed to emerge as decisive winners against the Cherries in their inaugural league fixture of the season, despite the absence of Salah, their 14-goal forward.
In the second half, Nunez broke the deadlock just four minutes in and went on to seal the victory in added time. This followed Jota’s rapid brace, allowing the Reds to take full advantage of a weekend break for second-placed Manchester City.
“We had the opposite of a good start,” said Klopp. “We put ourselves under pressure.
“It’s about winning the game in the end and, as long as you stay in the game, pretty much anything that happens in the game is allowed.
“Today, step by step, we found a way in the game and won it.”
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