Mo Salah injury: Klopp assistant responds to Egypt fan complaints after Liverpool return | OneFootball

Liverpool forward Mo Salah looks to the skies during the warm up.

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has insisted the decision for Mo Salah to return from the Africa Cup of Nations was made with the player’s best interests at heart as he targets a rapid return from a hamstring injury.

Salah suffered a muscle injury in Egypt’s draw with Ghana last week, with the forward returning to Liverpool to commence an “intensive rehabilitation programme” after the club reached an agreement with the Egyptian football association.

A Liverpool statement confirmed Salah’s injury is “worse than first feared” and vowed to get him “back in action as soon as possible for club and country, giving him the best chance to return to compete at AFCON” if Egypt progress reach the latter stages of the tournament.

The AFCON final is due to he held on February 11, with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp remarking recently that Salah will “probably” return to international duty if he recovers in time to represent Egypt if Rui Vitoria’s side reach the final.

The decision to allow Salah to return to Liverpool has been criticised, with some arguing the national captain should remain in Egypt’s camp to support his team-mates.

Yet Lijnders is adamant that the move was made with the aim of allowing Salah to recover in time to play a part in the final should Egypt get there, claiming the case is a rare example of a club and national team working in harmony.

He said: “You should never doubt the commitment of Mo Salah. I have never met anyone more committed to being a footballer.

“I know his country is devastated by what has happened to their captain and goalscorer, but the only reason our medical team and their medical team decided he should come back here is to give him the best chance to be available for the final if Egypt reach it.

“When they made a detailed scan, they saw a proper tear in his hamstring that talks three to four weeks to get back playing – if everything goes smoothly.

“What I am really happy about is the medical teams of Egypt and Liverpool worked together and were in close contact and both made the decision.

“It is an example of how club football and international football should cooperate to the put the player in the centre.

“How it works is all of us make the best decision what is best for him. A stable environment at a facility with people who have the time for the rehab process.”

Lijnders’ comments come after Liverpool legend Graeme Souness urged Klopp to prevent Salah from linking back up with the Egypt squad at a time the club hold a five-point advantage over reigning champions Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.

He told talkSPORT: “Jurgen Klopp is employed by Liverpool, and his job is to do the very best for the football club.

“For Liverpool, they need to get Salah back and fit, and then he does not go back to Africa.

“He is playing the game there, Jurgen; he has to do it, making all the right noises. It is the classic thing of club against country.

“Hamstrings are the worst injuries; that is the injury that players hate. The great Bob Paisley would say that is a six-weeker or eight-weeker when you talk about hamstrings. I only had one in my life because I was never accused of being a sprinter.

“What they can do to you is you have your rest period, two weeks or three weeks, you come back and train a couple of weeks, and then say you’re ready.

“Then ten minutes into a game, you go whack and it goes again, so they are the injuries that really confuse a player and medics, as you don’t know whether it is 100 per cent.

“As a Liverpool supporter, I don’t want him to go back.”

Liverpool are scheduled to host strugglers Burnley on the day before the AFCON final on February 10, six days after a tricky trip to third-placed Arsenal.