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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Samuel Meade

Mo Salah returns to Liverpool after AFCON heartbreak with message to Jurgen Klopp

Mohamed Salah has returned to Liverpool after missing out in the AFCON final on Sunday.

The winger failed to guide Egypt to continental glory as his teammate Sadio Mane and Senegal edged a dramatic penalty shootout.

Salah was due to take the fifth penalty, which never came, meaning he watched on as his nation fell short.

He is now back on Merseyside ahead of Liverpool's clash with Leicester City at Anfield.

Mane will return later than his teammate, something Jurgen Klopp expected.

He said earlier this week: "Tuesday or Wednesday latest the winner will be back, the other slightly earlier."

Salah's sole focus now is on Liverpool's campaign, with four trophies still a possibility for the Reds, and he has left Klopp in no doubt about his targets.

How many trophies will Liverpool win this season? Have your say in the comments!

Mo Salah has return to Liverpool after his AFCON commitments (@LFC)

The German told the club's website : “Mo is now back, I spoke already to him. He is very disappointed of course, but looking forward to all the things coming up here now.

“I spoke to him and pretty much the first thing Mo told me was: ‘I’m ready.’ Haha!

“He is an experienced player, he is a physical monster, to be honest, so we have to see. He will obviously have a little recovery session today and we will see how he feels tomorrow and from there we go.

“The proper plan we don’t have, play him as often and as long as possible is probably the plan, but we will not rush it.

"But if he is fine we will not leave him out for the wrong reasons as well, so let’s see.”

Salah's return delighted his teammates with Virgil van Dijk seen on video following the Egyptian onto the training pitch saying: "He's back!"

The Egyptian has enjoyed the best season of his career in front of goal thus far, netting 23 times in all competitions for the Reds as he eyes another Golden Boot.

Klopp has confirmed he is in contention to start against the Foxes despite new signing Luis Diaz making his debut at the weekend and pushing for minutes.

The German also touched on the difficulties of watching the AFCON final, knowing that one of his players was going to be left heartbroken.

“It was a strange game to watch, to be honest, from an emotional point of view,” Klopp reflected.

“I obviously wish them the best, the very best, in absolutely everything [but] it was not possible in this game.

“I think both played a great tournament. The responsibility on their shoulders is absolutely [huge] and the pressure on their shoulders is absolutely insane, I don’t even have an idea how it must feel in these moments, they carry pretty much a whole country."

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