Liverpool’s manager, Jurgen Klopp, emphasized that Mohamed Salah was never in contention to start the pivotal Premier League clash against Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday.
Following a torn hamstring suffered during the Africa Cup of Nations in January, the Egyptian forward faced a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Despite attempting a swift return to action, featuring in a Premier League fixture against Brentford in mid-February, Salah experienced a setback, leading to a relapse and further absence from matches.
Salah’s return to the pitch on Thursday night for the Europa League last-16 first-leg encounter against Sparta Prague raised hopes among fans regarding his availability for the highly anticipated showdown on Sunday. However, Klopp’s lineup selection saw Harvey Elliott occupying the right-wing position, while Salah was relegated to the substitutes’ bench.
Since the turn of the year, Salah, the former Roma star, has only made two appearances for Liverpool, both as a substitute, as he continues his journey towards full recovery from his injury woes. Additionally, Egypt opted not to include Salah in their squad for an upcoming friendly tournament in the United Arab Emirates during the forthcoming international break.
Despite his extended absence from the pitch in 2024, Salah remains Liverpool’s leading scorer this season, with an impressive tally of 15 goals in the Premier League and 19 in all competitions. Klopp underscored the team’s decision-making process, stating, “We didn’t even consider him for a starting role in the game,” during an interview with Sky Sports.