Liverpool have named a 23-man travelling squad for their Europa League clash with Sparta Prague – but a number of players miss out
Mohamed Salah has been included in Liverpool’s 23-man travelling squad for their Europa League round-of-16 first-leg clash with Sparta Prague.
The Egyptian has missed 12 of the Reds’ last 13 matches after suffering a hamstring injury while away on Africa Cup of Nations duty in January. He returned for Liverpool away at Brentford last month, scoring and assisting in a 4-1 win after coming on as substitute, only to aggravate the issue and be sidelined once more.
Salah has missed the Reds’ last four games as a result, including the League Cup final win over Chelsea. But after taking part in open training on Wednesday, he has been named in the travelling squad for Liverpool’s opening meeting with Sparta Prague.
The 31-year-old’s return is timely ahead of the Reds’ top-of-the-table Premier League clash with Manchester City on Sunday at Anfield.. But while he bolsters Jurgen Klopp’s options, following on from Dominik Szoboszlai, Darwin Nunez, Wataru Endo and Andy Robertson’s own returns from injury and illness against Nottingham Forest last weekend, Liverpool are still left without a number of players.
Jayden Danns has been left out of the travelling squad after suffering from a concussion, and is one of 11 players to miss the trip through injury. This includes teenage left-back Calum Scanlon, who has suffered a minor foot fracture.
Meanwhile, despite taking part in open training on Wednesday, both Trey Nyoni and Amara Nallo have not travelled to Prague. The teenagers joined the Reds from Leicester City and West Ham United respectively in the summer and, despite being Under-21s players, are not eligible for a place on ‘List B’ as a result.
Adrian has been included in the travelling squad after being added to Liverpool’s Europa League squad for the second half of the season. He was left out of the initial squad last summer, but has now replaced Joel Matip as one of the Reds’ 17 allocated overseas players, with the Cameroonian ruled out until the end of the season with an ACL injury. Adrian’s inclusion bolsters Klopp’s goalkeeping options, with Alisson Becker a long-term absentee with a serious hamstring injury.
Elsewhere, Mateusz Musialowski has been included in the travelling party despite not yet being included in Liverpool’s Europa League squad. The 20-year-old, who is yet to make his professional debut for the club, is eligible for a place on ‘List B’ though.
Sides are able to register an unlimited number of players on ‘List B’ during the season, provided their updated list is submitted no later than 24:00 CET the day before a match.
Academy players Bobby Clark, Kaide Gordon, James McConnell, Lewis Koumas and Fabian Mrozek are also included in the squad.
