LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool star Mohamed Salah will return from injury in time for a proper farewell, but he won’t be ready for Sunday’s game at Manchester United.
The Egypt forward, who is leaving the club at the end of this season, sustained what appeared to be a hamstring problem in the win over Crystal Palace last Saturday.
Liverpool coach Arne Slot confirmed on Friday that Salah will play again during this campaign.
“Usually he’s earlier fit than other players after a minor injury — because he has a minor injury — so we expect him indeed to be back in the final part of the season, but not for Sunday,” Slot said.
“It’s a big relief that his injury is minor, so that he’s able to play for us, that he’s able to play at the World Cup. If there’s any time a player that deserves to have (that) kind of big send-off, it’s definitely Mo.”
Salah announced in late March that he’s leaving the club one year earlier than expected. This is his ninth season at Anfield.
The 33-year-old Salah has endured a lackluster campaign that included a public row with Slot. He’s scored just seven Premier League goals after topping the chart last season with 29.
Liverpool has four games left this season, which concludes May 24 when Brentford visits Anfield.
Slot’s team trails third-place United by three points with both sides on track for Champions League spots.
Salah key player for Egypt
Egypt is in Group G at the World Cup and opens against Belgium on June 15 before facing New Zealand and Iran. Egypt has never won a World Cup match in any of its three appearances.
Their most recent appearance was at the 2018 edition in Russia, where Salah was slowed by a shoulder injury sustained in the Champions League final weeks earlier, when Liverpool lost to Real Madrid.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
The Associated Press
