Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah may return to the club’s training camp before the international break ends, following Egypt’s 2-0 victory over Mauritania, in which Salah scored the second goal in the 79th minute.
Salah was substituted during extra time, just before the match concluded, replaced by 23-year-old forward Ibrahim Adel. Egypt remains comfortably at the top of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group with nine points, six ahead of the second-place team.
Hossam Hassan’s Egypt side has been flawless in Group C, winning all three matches, scoring nine goals, and conceding none.
They first defeated Cape Verde 3-0, with goals from Rami Rabia, Omar Marmoush, and Ibrahim Adel. Four days later, they won 4-0 against Botswana, where Salah netted the third goal before being replaced by Koka in the 75th minute.
Egypt’s next match is against Mauritania on Tuesday, but it is expected that Salah will not play due to various concerns. Reports suggest that Salah may miss the match and return early to Liverpool’s training center, partly because the game will be played on artificial turf at Stade Cheikha Ould Boidiya.
Egypt’s manager mentioned that Salah requested to sit out the game to avoid injury, considering Liverpool’s demanding schedule after the international break.
Hossam Hassan noted that Mauritania tends to play aggressively, which could pose a risk to Salah, who is crucial for Liverpool.
If Salah misses the match, he is likely to return early to prepare for Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League fixture against Chelsea on October 20.
Additionally, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk might also return early after receiving a second yellow card during the Netherlands’ match against Hungary, ruling him out of their next game.
These early returns could provide a significant boost to Arne Slot’s squad, as the upcoming fixtures will be more challenging than those earlier in the 2024/25 season.
Below are some impressive Premier League stats for Mohamed Salah, shared by @FabrizioRomano on Twitter:
https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1827758101447246122?t=m-xlrQexLfhlz60idnBs2Q&s=19
