Will Mohamed Salah Play for Liverpool vs. Burnley After AFCON Exit?

Liverpool have been without Mohamed Salah for the last month.

Mohamed Salah has been representing Egypt at AFCON. | Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

Liverpool have been forced to cope without Mohamed Salah during much of the hectic festive period but they will not have to wait much longer for his return.

The 33-year-old last played for Liverpool in the 2–0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in mid-December—an outing in which relationships were repaired after his extraordinary outburst—but has been absent ever since due to his international commitments.

The winger has been representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and while Salah has enjoyed a fine individual tournament, there will be no first-ever AFCON title for him after a semi-final exit at the hands of former clubmate Sadio Mané and his Senegal side.

Liverpool are next in action on Saturday afternoon when they host strugglers Burnley in the Premier League, but will Salah be available for the clash following his AFCON exit?

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Will Mohamed Salah Be Available Against Burnley?

Egypt have been eliminated from AFCON. | Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The short answer is no. Despite being defeated by Senegal in the last four on Wednesday, Salah will not yet return to Merseyside. Instead, he will play in the AFCON third-place play-off fixture with fellow beaten semi-finalists Nigeria, the match staged just an hour after Liverpool kick off against Burnley on Saturday.

Salah will be seeking to help Egypt secure bronze and add to his tally for the tournament, which already stands at four goals from six matches. Only Morocco’s Brahim Díaz has scored more than the Liverpool star and both will be chasing the Golden Boot this weekend alongside Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, who has also struck four times.

Arne Slot will have to continue without Salah for at least one more match and it appears likely that Dominik Szoboszlai will earn another start at right wing. Jeremie Frimpong has impressed in the role recently but is now needed at right back following Conor Bradley’s season-ending injury, meaning the Hungarian should be moved back out wide.

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When Will Mohamed Salah Return for Liverpool?

Arne Slot will be pleased to have Salah back soon. | Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

Following the third-place play-off, Salah should arrive back in Liverpool on either Sunday or Monday. Of course, after such a busy period with Egypt, it appears unlikely that he will be immediately chucked back into the starting lineup.

Liverpool face Marseille on the road in the Champions League on Jan. 21 and Salah could well be among the travelling party. If he misses the clash in France, he appears certain to play some part in the battle with Bournemouth on Jan. 24—by which point he will have had a full week since his final AFCON outing.

Salah has not been at his blistering best this season by any means and speculation over his future persists, but Slot will be pleased to have the veteran back, especially with options limited in the forward line due to Alexander Isak’s injury.

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