Will Mohamed Salah play again at AFCON 2023? Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp gives injury update and rehabilitation plan as Egypt star is expected back at Anfield

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is expected back at Anfield for treatment after picking up an injury on international duty with Egypt at AFCON 2023, Jurgen Klopp has said.

Salah suffered a muscle injury in Egypt’s 2-2 draw with Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday and Klopp spoke about his recovery plan after Sunday’s 4-0 win over Bournemouth.

“It makes sense [for him to come back],” Klopp said on Sunday. “That’s the plan. If that’s already decided 100 per cent, I don’t know. But that’s the plan.

“However long he’s out, probably everybody sees it like this, it makes sense that he’s doing the rehab with us or with our people. If that’s written in stone already, I don’t know.

“I spoke with him directly after, the night when it happened. Since then he’s in contact with our doctor. I think he will be back.”

Asked if Salah recover in time to return for Egypt later in the tournament, Klopp said: “If he is fit before the final then probably yes, [he will go back].”

Without Salah, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez scored twice apiece in a big win for the Reds on the south coast.

The victory sees Liverpool move five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, albeit with one more match played than the champions.

Klopp’s men have still only lost once in the Premier League season and that was a highly controversial defeat at Tottenham back in late September.

The final of the AFCON takes place on February 11th, which gives Salah just over three weeks to recover from the time of his injury.

Salah has never won the Africa Cup of Nations, having finished as runner-up with Egypt in both 2017 and 2021.

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