Liverpool relief after Salah injury cited as back strain

Liverpool are breathing a sigh of relief after it emerged Mohamed Salah did not suffer a hamstring issue as first feared during Egypt’s African Cup of Nations game with Ghana on Thursday.

A scan revealed a back problem, which the Egyptian Football Association say means he will miss the next two games. That is a blow to Egypt’s Afcon hopes as they face Cape Verde in their final group phase qualifying match without Salah, and would also be without him for the first knockout game if they proceed in the competition

For Jurgen Klopp, however, it is likely Salah will be available upon his return in February, as was always anticipated.

The statement issued by Egypt indicated that the forward could be set to return to action for the Afcon quarter-finals on Feb 2 and 3.

“Mohamed Salah has suffered a strain in his back muscle and will miss two matches at the Africa Cup of Nations,” read a statement

“The X- rays that Egyptian national team captain Salah underwent showed that he suffered a strain in the posterior muscle, and he will miss the team’s next two matches at the Afcon against Cape Verde, and then the roundof-16 match in the event of qualification.”

Meanwhile, Klopp says his door is open for Sven-Goran Eriksson to live his dream of being Liverpool manager for a day after the Swede’s cancer diagnosis.

Liverpool club officials have contacted Eriksson’s family to discuss the possibility of him playing a role in the legends match against Ajax at Anfield on March 23.

Klopp said he was touched by the news that Eriksson had been told he may have only a year to live, following which the former England coach reaffirmed his long- held allegiance towards the red half of Merseyside.

“Absolutely, he’s very welcome to come here and he can sit in my seat in my office and do my job for a day if he wants,” said Klopp. “That’s no problem.

“Being on the sideline might be a little bit more difficult but to have him here and show him everything and how this wonderful club developed over the years, that’s definitely something we will tell him.”