Mo Salah gives Liverpool major boost as Klopp defends Alexander-Arnold treatment
Mo Salah is fit and ready to face Brentford after returning to full training this week.
The Liverpool front man has been missing for the Reds since New Year’s Day when he scored in a 4-2 win over Newcastle. Salah jetted off to the Africa Cup of Nations soon after but then picked up a hamstring injury while playing for Egypt in the tournament.
But now he’s ready to return for first-team action again as Jurgen Klopp ’s side head to Brentford tomorrow looking to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League. Klopp said: “Mo is back in full training, that brings him automatically in contention.”
But the Reds will be without Trent Alexander-Arnold - who Klopp confirmed will miss the Carabao Cup final as well this month - with a knee injury and Dominik Szoboszlai who is battling a hamstring problem. Alexander-Arnold had just returned earlier this month from a knee issue but he has now suffered the same injury again.
Klopp insists the Reds didn’t rush him back as he defended his medical team.
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The German said: “I was not really aware of it but I got the news that there was a discussion we might have forced Trent back and had two setbacks and it is really unfortunate, no one wants that.
“But different cases, different scenarios anyway and as long as I am here we never forced anyone back and never will do. But we work in a high performance area that's like if you have the same injury you are fit after three days and another guy after four weeks.
Mohamed Salah could make his return against Brentford after suffering a hamstring injury at the Africa Cup of Nations (Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)“We always try to catch the earliest moment but when we catch that moment it no one speaks like it, like with Macca [Alexis Mac Allister] recently and with Diogo [Jota].
“That's a job we have to do. But the last decision is always by the player but if you only listen to the player the player would play after two weeks and then it is a real problem.
“The boys were in the moment when they played they were fit but the situation told us then differently because it happened again. We can never know if it would have happened anyway or whether it was something before.
“Very unlucky and unfortunate, had that a couple of times in my time as a manager, not only here. It is not great but nothing else. It says nothing about the quality of anyone.
The world we are living in it is always immediately 'Medical department? I'm not sure about that’ but it is nothing to do with that. We have to bring the boys as back as soon as possible but never sooner than they are ready from our point of view.”
Szoboszlai has still got an outside chance of being fit to face Chelsea at Wembley on February 25. But Alexander-Arnold is definitely out as well as tomorrow’s clash and the Premier League game at home to Luton and FA Cup fifth-round tie against Southampton.
Klopp added: “It is a super intense period. People think now about the final but before the final we have Brentford and Luton and I didn't think a second about the final yet. It's not 'Oh, he can't play the final'.
“That's one game but before that we have two games which is as bad as they cannot play. I think with Dominik it will be around that time, we will see how it works out, and Trent maybe a week or two longer.
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“It is not great but it was not to avoid actually that it happened. I would say I am not sure Dom has a chance for the final but maybe, and Trent will probably be after.”
Ibrahima Konate is available again after he was suspended for last week's win over Burnley while Joe Gomez and Alisson Becker have recovered from flu. Conor Bradley is also available following his compassionate leave after his father died.
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