Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has told star striker Mohamed Salah to stay calm when asked about his return date. Now that Egypt have pulled out of the AFCON, Liverpool’s comeback hopes have been raised in a home game against Burnley on February 10. But the Liverpool manager tried to downplay hopes of a comeback in his press conference ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League clash with Chelsea.”I’m just rehabbing,” he said, stressing the importance of patience in the recovery process.
Asked about the exact date of his return, the German said: “He’s not ready for this game [against Chelsea]. He’s not ready for the next game [against Arsenal] and the same after that.””He was injured. I don’t know if it was a mistake from the beginning. “He was injured and muscle injuries take time.””You Can’t Rush”Klopp then highlighted the unpredictable nature of muscle injuries, using Thiago’s situation as an example. “Do not rush. “If we could have accelerated the healing process, Thiago would not have missed 10 months.”Salah, who flew back from Ivory Coast after leaving Egypt, is currently alongside Thiago in the treatment room at the AXA Training Centre.
While Salah continues his rehabilitation, Klopp revealed that Thiago has successfully returned to training after a long absence due to hip surgery in April. Given Wataru Endo’s long-term involvement in the Asian Cup, the Spaniard’s return to the starting line-up could come at an opportune time.Japan will play Bahrain in the Round of 16 tomorrow and are favorites to advance to the next round.
The Egyptian is currently rehabilitating on Merseyside following an injury sustained during the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this month. Salah’s agent, Rami Abbas, had initially expected the forward to be out for three to four weeks with the injury sustained in Egypt’s second leg group stage game against Ghana.
