Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has ruled Mohamed Salah out of this week’s Premier League clashes with Chelsea and Arsenal, suggesting there must have been a ‘misunderstanding’ due to constant questions surrounding him.
Salah sustained a hamstring injury earlier this month while at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt. He returned to Liverpool to undergo tests and treatment, and though he planned to return to his national team setup later in the tournament if they were still competing, the problem was found to be worse than first feared.
The forward was initially ruled out until the end of February, but there have been suggestions this week a return to face Arsenal on Sunday was not out of the question.
But at a pre-match press conference prior to Wednesday’s meeting with Chelsea, Klopp definitively ruled out a premature return for Salah.
“Mo is not ready for this game, not ready for the next game and then not,” Klopp insisted.
“He is injured. I’m not sure if that was a misunderstanding in the beginning. He is injured and a muscle injury takes time.
“It could have been much worse but he is not available in the moment, he is just doing his rehab.”
Liverpool are unbeaten in their five games played without Salah so far this month, winning four of them and drawing the other.
The Reds have also progressed to the final of the Carabao Cup in his absence, beating Fulham 3-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals. They will play Chelsea at Wembley on February 25.
In 27 games for Liverpool so far this season, Salah has scored 18 goals and laid on nine assists. He has continued to be linked with a move to Saudi Arabia with his contract up in 2025, but 90min revealed on Tuesday he is happy at Anfield.
