NOTT OVER YET

Liverpool make special Salah request

Liverpool have asked the Egyptian Football Association not to pick Mohamed Salah for the upcoming international break amid concerns over his hamstring injury.

Salah first picked up the injury while playing for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations back in January, but the forward returned to action off the bench in the 4-1 win over Brentford last month.

However, he ultimately suffered a recurrence of the injury in that game and has missed Liverpool’s last four matches as a result. Speaking ahead of their 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday, manager Jurgen Klopp said it was “possible” Salah could be back in time for Liverpool’s clash with Manchester City next weekend.

“I don’t think Mo is too far off, but he will not feature [at Forest],” Klopp told reporters on Friday. “From there, we have to go. Touch and go, unfortunately that stays the case with Mo for a little bit longer.

“But I think next week, at any point, it is possible. So he is on the way back, definitely, but not there yet.”

And with the Reds desperate for their star man to play a full part for the rest of the season, with Liverpool still in with a chance of winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League, they have asked the Egyptian FA to rest him for their upcoming game against New Zealand on March 22.

“We have already received a letter from Liverpool to exempt Mohamed Salah from the upcoming camp due to his injury,” a statement from the Egyptian FA read. “We sent the name of Mohamed Salah among the professional players that we are requesting to include in the next camp a few days ago.

“It is our right to include any professional player as long as it is at the time of the international agenda, and the issue of whether or not to include him is in the hands of the national team’s technical staff, led by Hossam Hassan.

“It is still too early to decide the matter, and if Mohamed Salah plays any match in the time before the start of the camp, we will adhere to his inclusion, and he will be examined and his readiness determined by the medical staff of the Egyptian national team.” —Mirror.