Mohamed Salah has been away for Africa Cup of Nations duties with Egypt since mid-December and is expected to miss this weekend’s seventh game against Liverpool before returning next week.
Arne Slott explained the situation with Mohamed Salah (Image: (Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))
Mohamed Salah will return to Liverpool next week and could be available for the Champions League match against Marseille. Salah will play for Egypt in Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations third-place match against Nigeria, before returning to Merseyside.
Egypt lost 1-0 to Senegal in the AFCON semi-final on Wednesday night, with Salah’s former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane conceding yet another over. The 33-year-old will therefore miss Sunday’s final in Morocco, but he still has one more game before returning to England.
This means he will miss Liverpool’s Premier League game against Burnley on Saturday afternoon, making it seven games in total since departing for AFCON. Manager Arne Slott confirmed in his pre-match press conference that he had been in contact with Salah, who could take part in the trip to Marseille on Wednesday night.
“First of all, he will play in a big game for Egypt on Saturday and then he will come back. We are happy to have him back,” the Liverpool manager said. “Mo was very important to this club and to me so I’m happy to have him back and even if we had 15 attackers I’d be happy to see Mo back, but that’s not our situation. I’ll be happy to have him back after tomorrow’s important game.”
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Asked to clarify the exact timing of his return, Slott added: “Next week we are negotiating with him. First of all, he needs to play an important game on Saturday. Champions League? We are discussing it together now.”
Salah departed for AFCON with a lot of attention after a turbulent period. The Egyptian star publicly criticized Slot, accusing him of throwing Slot under the bus by not choosing him, but the two sides had transparent discussions and Slot assisted a goal in a 2-0 win against Brighton on 13 December, before leaving.
Things have stabilized in his absence, with Liverpool now unbeaten in 11 games in all competitions since losing 4-1 to PSV Eindhoven on November 26. The Reds head into this weekend’s game in fourth place in the Premier League, but Slott still wants more from his players.
Mohamed Salah will miss Saturday’s match between Liverpool and Burnley (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
“In the last 11 games we have conceded very few chances, whereas in the period before that we created many chances and conceded more chances,” he said. “And it was a more open game, which people probably look back on and wish it was now, but the result wasn’t what we wanted.
“We have to find that balance, and we will. Our players are growing, finding faith and getting healthier. We are waiting for the moment now more than ever to start the season.”
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