Mohamed Salah has finally returned to Liverpool after his participation with the Egyptian national team in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The Egyptian international scored four goals and provided one assist in six matches for the Pharaohs at the tournament, but his performance ended on a sour note after he missed a penalty against Nigeria, resulting in his country losing third place to the Super Eagles.
Liverpool are preparing to face Marseille on Wednesday in the Champions League, a match that comes after a string of poor results, most recently a 1-1 draw with Burnley, amidst rumors of manager Arne Slott’s imminent dismissal.
According to Foot Mercato, despite Liverpool’s difficult situation and their need for the “Egyptian King,” it is likely he will not play against Marseille, in order to be fully fit for the Premier League match against Bournemouth next week.
Slot believes it’s best to rest the 33-year-old Salah after his six appearances for Egypt in a short period, especially since Liverpool’s European qualification hopes are relatively manageable, unlike the fierce competition for European places in the Premier League.
It’s worth noting that there were disagreements between Slot and Salah before the latter’s participation with the Pharaohs in the Africa Cup of Nations. This puts the Dutch manager in a difficult position upon the player’s return to Anfield, forcing him to rely on Salah soon, particularly since Liverpool’s results haven’t improved at all in his absence.
This season, Salah has scored five goals and provided five assists in 20 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool.
