- The 32-year-old bagged a goal and assist in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa
- Concerns remain over aggressive opposition and bad pitches in internationals
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Liverpool fans can breathe a sigh of relief after star man Mohamed Salah was not called up for the Egypt side amid ongoing injury concerns.
The winger is a club legend at Anfield, scoring a breathtaking 220 goals in 365 games for the side since joining in 2017.
The 32-year-old continues to play a pivotal role for the Reds, striking eight times in just 11 Premier League matches this season as Arne Slot’s side cement their place at the top of the table.
This was emphasised on Saturday night as he bagged a goal and an assist in Liverpool’s vital 2-0 win over Aston Villa which saw them extend their lead over Manchester City to five points.
Such is Salah’s importance to the Reds that every international break comes with a wave of anxiety that one false move could lead to a long spell on the sidelines. But there will be no such concerns this time after he was left out of the squad, This is Anfield reports.
Mohamed Salah starred in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday and will miss Egypt duty
The news will be welcomed by Arne Slot whose excellent start has been fuelled by Salah magic
There had been fears over a potential injury on international duty but these have been allayed
It comes as a massive boost for Slot with fears over his trips with Egypt mainly revolving around aggressive defenders making reckless challenges, as well as a general quality of pitches far inferior to the Premier League.
Hossam Hassan has agreed that Salah deserves a break and has removed him from contention for November clashes with Cape Verde and Botswana.
A specific concern over the first match centred around the use of an artificial surface, which increases the risk of injury.
Egypt also do not require Salah this month as much as they often might with qualification for the African Cup of Nations already sealed thanks to two wins over Mauritania last month.
The hope is that a short break will leave him fresh for the Reds’ next match against Southampton on November 24, in contrast to having to travel a whopping 3,782 miles back to Liverpool in a three-day period following the second match.
Indeed, Slot will need Salah at full fitness as they face Manchester City and Real Madrid in a season-defining four-day window shortly after.
Ahead of the victory over Villa, the Dutchman said: ‘There is no reason at the moment to think that he is dropping in terms of level.
‘That’s not what you see when you look at his numbers or what you see when he plays.
There were particular concerns over the quality of pitches and aggressive opposition
Egypt boss Hossan Hassam is equally keen for his star man to avoid an unnecessary injury
The idea is to get him ready for a tough spell of fixtures, including a clash with Manchester City
He added: ‘I don’t know what the future brings but I do know Mo is in a very good place.’
Salah’s breather comes after Salah was granted permission to return to Liverpool early last month after it was confirmed he would not feature for Egypt against Mauritania thanks to concerns over Mauritania’s artificial turf.
Hassan was also fearful of Salah being hurt after he described Mauritania as a team with ‘violent interventions’.
‘If any player asks me not to play on artificial turf, I will agree,’ Hassan said.
‘The Mauritanian team plays hard and with violent interventions, and their field is not the best. If Salah specifically asks me to do so, I will agree.’
