Liverpool explain "only reason" for Salah return as Robertson to make comeback

23 January 2024 , 11:21

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Mo Salah will return from the Africa Cup of Nations after picking up a hamstring injury (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders revealed Liverpool and Egypt decided for Mo Salah to undergo his rehab on Merseyside to give him the best chance of playing in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

The Kop forward has suffered a hamstring ‘tear’ which will rule him out for ‘three to four weeks’. Salah is on his way back from Ivory Coast to undergo his recovery with Liverpool ’s medical staff.

Egypt scraped through to the last-16 of the competition with a draw against Cape Verde on Monday night and still have hopes of reaching the final on February 11. But Salah leaving the tournament has led to criticism in his home country as the captain departs the squad.

"You should never doubt the commitment of Mo Salah,” insisted Reds assistant boss Pep Lijnders. “I never met a guy, and also a human being, who is more committed to the life of being a professional football player. I know the country is devastated to lose him. We were devastated to hear that he got injured. He played the first game, scored, assisted, the captain, a massive importance of course. But the only reason why their medical team and our team decided for him to come back is to give him the best possible chance to be available in the final, if Egypt reach the final."

There were conflicting messages from the Egypt camp, Salah's agent and Liverpool following the injury which led to some criticism from the Egyptian media, but Lijnders insists returning to Merseyside is the best thing for the forward.

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“I think that because of the first message that came out, saying it would only be a few days, or one week, then they made a detailed scan and it came out that there is a proper tear in his hamstring, that means the expected return to playing will be three or four weeks if everything goes smooth and goes right," he said.

Liverpool explain "only reason" for Salah return as Robertson to make comeback

Salah is expected to miss around three to four weeks of action (AFP via Getty Images)

"It will go smooth and it will go right because we have treated his body before. What I am really happy about is that the medical team of Egypt and the medical team of Liverpool Football Club really worked together and were in close contact to make a decision. It is an example of how international football and club football should operate to put the player in the centre and not targets of everyone. Then it becomes a conflict of interest.

"How it works now is all of us made the decision that is best for him, and [putting him in] the best stable environment knowing the people, and having proper people who are committed and have time and focus on the process, we know how it will go here in the facility."

Liverpool will be without Salah for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Fulham. But Andy Robertson will be in the squad for the first time since October after recovering from a dislocated shoulder.

Salah has returned to Liverpool for treatment, while Robertson is back after dislocating his shoulder in October (PA)

“Let's start with Robbo because he trained yesterday with the team,” said Lijnders. "It's now 13 weeks, he had his meeting with the surgeon to make sure that everything is right to go into full contact – it's clear.

“So he did a lot of work and really good rehab throughout the last period, so he's fit in terms of sports science. Now he has to get fit with proper team training. "So that's a big, big advantage to have him back. We were waiting for a long time – he's one of our captains.

“I just met him in the canteen and he said, 'Pep, I have my tracksuit with me!' So he's pushing himself into the squad, so that's good. He will travel [to Fulham].”

Szoboszlai and Alexander-Arnold will miss the trip to Fulham (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

But fellow defender Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee) and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai (hamstring) won’t be ready until the weekend when the Reds face Norwich in the FA Cup.

"Trent is progressing well through his rehab, working hard – how he is as a guy, knowing how important the next weeks are,” said Lijnders. "But he will back in the end of the week for team training, so hopefully he will be available for the FA Cup.

"Dom trained yesterday with us, just one small-sided game, one-touch game, but played good, felt good, did some extra work with the sports science team.