Mohamed Salah missed Egypt’s World Cup qualifier on Sunday, sparking injury concerns ahead of Liverpool’s huge clash against Manchester United.
The Premier League returns this weekend with one of the biggest games of the season as United visit Anfield this Sunday.
Both sides will be desperate for three points and not just for the bragging rights, with Red Devils head coach Ruben Amorim under pressure after a difficult start to the season.
Meanwhile, Liverpool lost their last three games prior to the international break, with plenty of criticism aimed at their star players, including Salah who has scored just once from open play in the league this campaign.
United are one of the winger’s favourite opponents however, having scored a record 16 goals in this fixture.
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Reds fans are desperate to see their talisman back to his best but were left worried last Sunday when Egypt beat Guinea-Bissau 1-0 and Salah was not included in the matchday squad.
The 33-year-old is Pharaohs captain and by far his country’s best player, so his absence was a shock to many and lead some to be concerned about his fitness.
But there is no reason for Liverpool supporters to panic, as it has been confirmed that Egypt boss Hossam Hassan was merely resting Salah and several other key players for this game.
Egypt had already booked their place at the 2026 World Cup last week by beating Djibouti 3-0, with Salah bagging a brace, and Hassan opted to heavily rotate his team with nothing to play for against Guinea-Bissau.
Salah, who was in the stands to watch the game and celebrate with his teammates and fans afterward, is only seven goals away from becoming his country’s all-time top scorer, a record currently held by his international manager.
‘It is a great honour to reach the World Cup as both a player and a coach. We did a great job during the qualifiers because we have great players,’ Hassan said.
‘I asked the players to win against Guinea-Bissau to make the fans who came to celebrate happy.
‘Salah is a glory for Egypt. He is a great player, intelligent and very professional. [He is like my] younger brother or eldest son.’
Before next summer’s World Cup, Salah will attempt to captain his country to glory at the Africa Cup of Nations, which will see him miss several Liverpool games over the Christmas period.
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