Liverpool manager, Klopp on cloud nine over Salah’s return

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says “it’s so good” Mohamed Salah is back in his squad for the Europa League last-16 first leg at Sparta Prague on Thursday (today).

Salah suffered a hamstring injury playing for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations in January.

He returned when he played and scored as a substitute against Brentford on 17 February but has been sidelined since then with muscle fatigue.

“Mo travelled. He’s with us, he trained two days,” said Klopp.

“Full of energy. We have to see but it’s so good that he’s back. It’s really good for us and you can see he’s very happy.

“A very unlucky situation [him] being out that long.

“He played an incredible game at Brentford and was then out again.”

Salah, 31, has scored 19 goals for Liverpool this season, including 15 in 21 Premier League games.

The forward’s return comes for the trip to the Czech Republic and before league leaders Liverpool host second-placed Manchester City in the top flight on Sunday.

The Reds then play the second leg against Sparta Prague prior to a trip to Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

“We want to be careful and have to be careful [with Salah] but we are in the middle of a super-intense period of the season,” added Klopp.

“We need everybody and now let’s see how long we can use him.

“That’s how it is with him and others as well. It’s just good news.”

Asked about concerns over Salah being called up by Egypt during the international break in March, Klopp said: “That is nothing to do [with me] really. That will be decided in different departments. No, nothing to do with that.

“Let’s see how long he can play now. As I said, two days in team training – so, in a different situation players are not in the squad in this moment, but in our situation it makes sense.

“What can we give him? How much can we use him? We will see that.

“And then there are two games with Egypt, but it’s really not up to me or stuff like this, we are not really involved. That is discussed in other departments, let me say it like that.”