Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has said that his side will not be without the services of Mohamed Salah for their upcoming big clashes against Chelsea and Arsenal, saying that they don’t want to rush the Egyptian forward back into the fold.
What happened to Mohamed Salah during the African Cup Of Nations?
Salah has been Liverpool’s talisman up front, being the joint top goalscorer in the Premier League with 14 goals and has made 8 assists this season.
The forward sustained a hamstring injury during Egypt’s match against Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The incident occurred when Salah clutched the back of his left leg and had to be substituted before halftime. This injury was described by Liverpool’s assistant coach Pep Lijnders as a “proper tear in his hamstring,” which was expected to sideline the winger for three to four weeks.
Despite the setback, there was hope that Salah could return to play in the tournament if Egypt advanced to the latter stages. However, Egypt’s journey ended when Congo knocked them out on penalties in the round-of-16 match. Salah’s agent later indicated that the injury was more severe than initially feared, suggesting a recovery period of 21-28 days.
Ahead of the match against Chelsea on January 31, Klopp said that there isn’t any pressure on Salah at the moment, apart from getting fit quickly. The Liverpool boss said that the team won’t be looking to rush him back into the fold.
“There was no pressure on him other than wanting to get fit as quickly as possible anyway. But we don’t rush,” Klopp told reporters on Tuesday.
“If you could rush the healing process then Thiago wouldn’t have been out for 10 months. You do what you can do and, whilst that happens, we have to wait,” Klopp added. “Mo’s not ready for this game or the next. He’s injured and a muscle injury takes time,” said Klopp.
Klopp went on to say that the injury could have been a lot worse for Salah.
“It could have been a lot worse, but he’s not available and he’s having rehabilitation,” Klopp said.
