Mohamed Salah set to make temporary Africa Cup of Nations return to Liverpool after picking up injury with Egypt

Mohamed Salah is in line for a temporary return to Liverpool from the Africa Cup of Nations after picking up a hamstring injury.

The 31-year-old was withdrawn in the first half of Egypt’s 2-2 draw with Ghana on Thursday, and will miss their next two games, if The Pharaohs progress to the knockout stages.

There is hope that Salah could still feature for Egypt at the tournament, but Jurgen Klopp revealed that he was expected to return to Merseyside for treatment in the.

Liverpool are coping well in Salah’s absence, as Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez both scored a brace each to seal an emphatic 4-0 win over Bournemouth.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, about the prospect of Salah returning, he said: “That’s the plan. If that’s already decided 100% I don’t know, but that’s the plan.

“However long he is out, I think probably everybody sees that it makes sense that he is doing the rehab with us or with our people. That’s the plan, but if that’s now written in stone already, I don’t know.”

Klopp has been in dialogue with Salah since the injury, and revealed there has been communication between the player and the club’s medical team.

“[I spoke with him] directly after [the game], pretty much the night it happened. Since then, he’s in contact with our doctor. The doc tells me the news, so I think he will be back.”

Egypt will secure qualification for the last 16 with victory over Cape Verde, and Klopp says that the forward will return to the tournament if he is fit to do so.

"I’m not a doctor," Klopp said. "I would say if Egypt qualify for the final and he is fit before the final then probably yes. Why not?

“That’s clear, it’s the tournament. Ivory Coast, I am sure it is a wonderful country, but we have no people from us there and their people have to take care of the players who are playing, so let’s see.”

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