Liverpool coach Arne Slot announced that Salah has suffered an injury that will keep the winger out of play this weekend. Slot cannot give any clear information about how long Salah will be out but hopes for an early return, noting it is unusual for Mohamed Salah to be injured, according to the manager. The manager added that Mohamed Salah recovers very quickly and will train with the team again tomorrow, and if everything works well, he will be available to be with us against City, though Salah will not join Egypt's national team camp, Slot said.
This injury concern compounds a season of challenges for the Egyptian forward. Mohamed Salah has 10 goals and 9 assists in all competitions this season, below his usual standards according to multiple reports. He had a bitter public falling out with Liverpool boss Arne Slot before the Africa Cup of Nations, as reported by several media outlets. According to Daily Mirror - Main, Mohamed Salah expressed disappointment about being benched, stating he felt the club had thrown him under the bus and his relationship with Slot had deteriorated. Slot has no regrets about decisions leading up to his dispute with Mohamed Salah, the manager said.
It's a big accomplishment for Wirtz to stay fit for such a long time because he had to make a step up from where he played to the Premier League and Liverpool. It tells a lot about his mentality and work rate that he has stayed fit for so long. It is a disappointment for him and for us, because he has played really, really well lately.
The squad's injury woes extend far beyond Salah. Alisson Becker is ruled out until towards the end of the season due to injury, missing matches against Manchester City and PSG, according to Slot, who added that Alisson will be out a bit longer. The Brazilian goalkeeper missed the match against Brighton just before the break and had to withdraw from the national team gathering, reports indicate. Long-term absentees Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, and Wataru Endo remain out, multiple sources confirm. Having recently welcomed Jeremie Frimpong and Joe Gomez back into the fold, it is only long-term absentees currently unavailable with Wataru Endo the latest to join that list after undergoing surgery. The Japan international has joined Conor Bradley and Alexander Isak as Liverpool players to have had an operation in the last few months, while Giovanni Leoni is Liverpool's other injury absentee with the young defender recovering from a major knee injury suffered on his debut back in September.
Another significant concern is attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz. Slot will be forced to contend this clash without Florian Wirtz, who has still not recovered from a back injury picked up last month. Wirtz is key to Liverpool's attacking balance, and his absence has affected chance creation, the manager noted. Wirtz has recorded six goals and eight assists in 35 appearances this term, and the club's medical staff are hopeful he can return for the Champions League trip to Galatasaray next week. The Liverpool boss was quick to praise Wirtz for his durability up until this point, noting the physical demands of transitioning to English football. According to Slot, Wirtz could be available for a few minutes in the FA Cup tie against Wolves, having been out since February 22.
Right-back isn't the only position where we have struggled but it stands out most.
Several other players are at various stages of recovery. Jeremie Frimpong and Federico Chiesa will train to determine their availability for Saturday after injuries, according to multiple reports. There are question marks around Jeremie Frimpong, who had to leave the Netherlands' training match against Ecuador. The Netherlands national team doctor says Jeremie Frimpong was taken off as a precaution, and Frimpong will be examined later today to see, Slot confirmed. Alexander Isak is back in full training following a broken leg but is not ready to start; he could play a few minutes, the manager said. Isak is back in team training, reports indicate, and the latter is closer to returning though, with Slot able to offer a positive update recently. Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah are approaching playing, according to reports.
Manager Arne Slot faces the complex task of navigating these uncertainties. The manager had previously elaborated on the difficulty of the situation, stating before the West Ham game that at this moment in time, he doesn't know and honestly doesn't know, according to his comments. Slot expressed his relief at having more options in the full-back positions, though he warned that his minutes must be carefully monitored following a month-long layoff. He dismissed the idea that the repetitive schedule was a disadvantage, instead focusing on the tactical edge it provides his staff.
Having Jeremie back is nice. We have to take into account a lot of games, especially players who come back from injuries. But we know the importance of every game now. But I'm not the only one to have that. I prefer to manage how many minutes he can be given rather than see him with the medical team.
The injury crisis arrives at a critical juncture in Liverpool's season. After the international break, Liverpool will face Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-final followed by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final. Slot confirmed Mohamed Salah is available for the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City, having returned to full training. Despite the absence of their £116m playmaker, Liverpool will be expected to dispatch a Wolves side currently sitting at the bottom of the table in their upcoming FA Cup tie.
Immediately, Liverpool take on Wolves in the Premier League this evening. Aston Villa dropped points at Molineux last weekend with Liverpool hoping to avoid a similar slip-up. Liverpool face the unusual task of playing Wolves twice in four days at the same venue, first in the league on Tuesday and then in the fifth round of FA Cup on Friday.
Usually the only people it's helpful for are the analysts and me. Allows us to analyse them.
Wolves manager Rob Edwards has been handed some big boosts with Ladislav Krejci back after serving a one-match ban. Hwang Hee-chan is also available for selection again, with Edwards admitting on Monday that he has a fully fit squad to pick from. The South Korean forward had missed the last few weeks with a calf injury. Andre hobbled off in last Friday's win over Villa but Edwards' latest update suggests the Brazil international will be fine to play against Liverpool.
Before his latest setback, Salah had shown signs of returning to form. Mohamed Salah returned to feature in seven consecutive league matches after the Africa Cup of Nations. He scored his 50th Champions League goal this week when Liverpool beat Galatasaray and qualified for the quarter-finals. The 33-year-old Mohamed Salah had to leave the match early.
I think [Tuesday against Wolves] will be too early, but I said last week I didn’t expect him not to be available for today, so sometimes with an injury things can develop in a positive way or in a negative way. Now we are thinking it doesn’t have to take too long, but Tuesday will probably be too early. The week after will be tight as things stand now, but as I said, I thought that he would be available for today as well, which didn’t happen unfortunately.
Liverpool's attacking issues have been a recurring theme this season. Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah have come under criticism for not offering enough from the wings, according to multiple media reports. Mohamed Salah was relegated to the bench for three straight games earlier in the season, raising questions over his future. According to Daily Mirror - Main, Ally McCoist described Mohamed Salah's performance against Manchester City as 'sad', with missed chances including a saved penalty.
In the Premier League, Arne Slot's side are firmly in the battle for Champions League football next season with Chelsea, Manchester United and Aston Villa.
The game [vs Wolves] will probably come too soon, and maybe the game in the weekend [in the FA Cup] as well, but let's see how it ends up. But we hope to have him back somewhere next week.
For now, Slot will have to rely on the depth of his squad to maintain their pursuit of silverware across multiple fronts as the season reaches its business end. The exact nature and severity of Mohamed Salah's injury remains unclear, as does the specific return date for Florian Wirtz from his back injury. Whether Alexander Isak will be fit to start in upcoming matches is also uncertain, along with the timeline for Alisson Becker's return from his extended absence and the availability of Jeremie Frimpong and Federico Chiesa.
I’ve heard that he had surgery. I’ve heard that it went well, but I don’t know the details.
The plan is for him to be ready in time for the World Cup, so the rehab process from surgery onwards is being considered. In order to play in the World Cup, he, the club, and we all share the same understanding.
Alex has been on the pitch with his running shoes for the first time this week, so it will still be a while... The next step is doing work with the ball, and then going into the group - it takes a while before you're ready to play. Let's not put a timescale on it, but it's clear he will be available if things go as planned this season.
Not anything different to what I said after the game. The game probably comes too soon tomorrow and maybe the game at the weekend. We hope to have him back next week.
At this moment in time, I don't know. Usually when I say that, I do know and I don't want to share that. But this time, I honestly don't know.
It is unusual for Mohamed Salah to be injured.
Mo has previously shown that he can recover faster than other players.
Mohamed Salah recovers very quickly and will train with the team again tomorrow, and if everything works well, he will be available to be with us against City.
Mohamed Salah's performance against Manchester City was described as 'sad' by Ally McCoist, with missed chances including a saved penalty.
Mohamed Salah expressed disappointment about being benched, stating he felt the club had thrown him under the bus and his relationship with Slot had deteriorated.