For Mohamed Salah and Liverpool, it’s set to be an anxious few days as the Reds await to see if their top scorer will be fit enough to take on fellow Premier League title challengers Manchester City on March 10.
The Egyptian’s availability for the crucial encounter remains a hot topic as Liverpool’s injury concerns linger. Jurgen Klopp has been without several first-team players recently, forcing him to call upon players from the Liverpool youth set-up.
Salah suffered a hamstring injury back in January when he was on international duty for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations in January 2024. It was an issue that saw him leave the tournament early and return to Liverpool in an attempt to regain fitness.
The 31-year-old returned to action to face Brentford in February, scoring once and assisting another in Liverpool’s 4-1 victory. Unfortunately, he suffered more discomfort in the same hamstring in that game and Klopp has been unwilling to take risks since then.
The Sporting News takes a look at whether the star will be fit to face Man City, or indeed the UEFA Europa League match against Sparta Prague three days earlier.
MORE: Will Salah catch Haaland in the Premier League Golden Boot race?
Will Mohamed Salah play for Liverpool vs Manchester City?
With not long to go until Sunday’s potential title-deciding clash, Salah finds himself in a race against time to recover from his hamstring injury and make himself available for selection.
There was a real boost for the Reds on March 6, when Salah was seen taking part in team training as Liverpool prepared for their Europa League visit to Prague.
🇪🇬👑 pic.twitter.com/rRBT65N6s3
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 6, 2024
Salah’s returns against Man City have been impressive, with 11 goals and six assists against Pep Guardiola’s side, perhaps explaining the absence of the forward in Liverpool’s recent fixtures. He missed both the Carabao Cup final and Liverpool’s latest last-minute winner against Nottingham Forest.
Klopp most recently addressed Salah’s availability prior to the Forest victory and said: “I don’t think Mo is too far off, but he will not feature [at The City Ground].
“I think next week at any point it’s possible. He’s on the way back, definitely, but not there yet.”
While it’s unknown as to whether he is still injured or Klopp has been resting him for City, the lack of clarity on the matter has become concerning to Liverpool fans.
The Reds are in action against Sparta Prague on Thursday, March 7 in the Europa League and it would be unwise and unlikely for Salah to be involved in such a game where Liverpool are the heavy favourites.
Darwin Nunez’s 99th-minute winner against Nottingham Forest is the latest match-winning goal scored by a Liverpool player in the Premier League since records began ⏳
𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 pic.twitter.com/iZjcxhjntY
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 2, 2024
How Liverpool could line up vs Man City without Salah
With Arsenal also breathing down their necks, Liverpool’s need for Salah’s firepower becomes increasingly apparent. His potential return to the starting lineup would likely see him alongside Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz. That would almost certainly reignite Liverpool’s attacking prowess and provide the much-needed impetus in their quest for silverware, but in the event Salah is indeed unavailable, who could Klopp look to in his absence?
Against Forest and in the Carabao Cup final, Klopp opted to utilise a front three of Diaz, Cody Gakpo, and Harvey Elliott. While the Reds continued their dominance in possession, they could only manage two shots on target at the City Ground, one being the 99th-minute winner from substitute Nunez.
The Uruguayan striker has had his own injury problems recently and is yet to complete 90 minutes of football in nearly a month. However, his goalscoring form is likely to see him included in the starting XI if he is fit, having scored in three consecutive appearances.
This could mean a Diaz-Nunez-Elliott front three is the favoured choice for Klopp against City if Salah is not able to start.
How Premier League title race looks before Liverpool vs. Man City
Liverpool head into matchweek 28 at the top of the table, a point ahead of Man City and two clear of Arsenal in third. The Gunners boast the best goal difference of the three with +45, six more than the Reds and 10 greater than the reigning champions.
English Premier League table 2023/24
Updated on Monday March 4, 2024
| Pos | Team | Points | Matches Played |
Goals Scored |
Goal Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Liverpool | 63 | 27 | 64 | +39 |
| 2. | Manchester City | 62 | 27 | 62 | +35 |
| 3. | Arsenal | 61 | 27 | 68 | +45 |
| 4. | Aston Villa | 55 | 27 | 59 | +22 |
| 5. | Tottenham | 50 | 26 | 55 | +16 |
| 6. | Manchester United | 44 | 27 | 37 | -2 |
| 7. | West Ham | 42 | 27 | 43 | -4 |
| 8. | Newcastle United | 40 | 27 | 57 | +12 |
| 9. | Brighton | 39 | 27 | 49 | +5 |
| 10. | Wolves | 38 | 27 | 40 | -3 |
| 11. | Chelsea | 36 | 26 | 44 | +1 |
| 12. | Fulham | 35 | 27 | 39 | -3 |
| 13. | Bournemouth | 31 | 26 | 35 | -12 |
| 13. | Crystal Palace | 28 | 27 | 33 | -14 |
| 15. | Brentford | 26 | 27 | 39 | -11 |
| 16. | Everton* | 25 | 27 | 29 | -8 |
| 17. | Nottingham Forest | 24 | 27 | 34 | -15 |
| 18. | Luton Town | 20 | 26 | 35 | -17 |
| 19. | Burnley | 13 | 27 | 25 | -35 |
| 20. | Sheffield United | 13 | 27 | 22 | -50 |
*Deducted 10 points for being found to have breached profit and sustainability rules. Punishment was reduced to six points on appeal, as confirmed on Feb 26.
