Liverpool supporters are eagerly anticipating Mo Salah’s recovery from his muscle injury ahead of the clash with Manchester City on Sunday.
The Egypt forward is expected to return to full training this week, raising hopes for his involvement in the pivotal match against Pep Guardiola’s side at Anfield. However, there’s a potential silver lining if the 31-year-old is unable to feature in the weekend’s fixture.
Salah is once again caught in a club-versus-country dilemma, with the Egyptian FA asserting that he’ll be summoned for their March matches if he plays for Jurgen Klopp’s team in the interim.
Neil Jones, speaking on The Redmen TV’s Journo Insight show, noted a potential scenario where Salah misses the City game but benefits Liverpool in the long run.
Jones expressed surprise at the likelihood of Salah’s involvement against Sparta Prague, but suggested that Liverpool would appreciate even a brief cameo off the bench against City.
He speculated on Liverpool’s strategy if Salah fails to return to training this week, positing the possibility of the club opting for an extra week to ensure his full recovery, which could rule him out of the Egypt squad.
This approach would result in a refreshed Salah returning after the international break, ideally fully healed and prepared for upcoming fixtures.
Klopp may confront a significant decision regarding Salah’s inclusion in the Man City clash on Sunday. Jones advocates for prioritizing Salah’s long-term fitness.
If Salah remains sidelined until Egypt’s squad announcement for their upcoming matches and is subsequently omitted, he gains additional time to prepare for the crucial period after Easter.
However, if Salah is even marginally fit for the weekend, it would be unwise to exclude our top scorer from the season’s most important fixture thus far, particularly considering his impressive track record against Guardiola’s side.
Salah has consistently scored against City at Anfield since 2018 and has been influential in his last seven Premier League encounters against them.
If Salah is fit to play on Sunday, he will likely be called upon, even if it means sacrificing him to national team duty later in the month.
Conversely, if he fails to recover in time for the weekend, it could ultimately benefit our season in the long run by ensuring he is fully ready for the crucial matches ahead—provided the Egyptian FA honors their commitment not to summon him unless he features for Liverpool in the interim.
