Liverpool defend injured Mo Salah’s decision to fly home from Afcon

23-Jan-2024 13:45:59 | Guardian

Forward has been criticised in Egypt for leaving national team
Liverpool say it gives him ‘best possible chance’ to play in final

Liverpool’s assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders has said Mohamed Salah’s commitment to Egypt should never be questioned amid fierce criticism of the forward’s exit from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Salah is returning to Liverpool on Wednesday for treatment on a torn hamstring that is expected to sideline him for three to four weeks and, most likely, the rest of Egypt’s Afcon campaign. The decision was taken between Egypt’s and Liverpool’s medical teams and, according to Lijnders, gives Salah the best chance of playing in the final on 11 February should the Pharaohs progress that far.