Salah Withdraws from International Duty Ahead of Arsenal Showdown

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has pulled out of international duty with Egypt, leaving just two weeks until their match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

On Saturday, Liverpool announced on their club website that both Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah had returned early from international duty. In van Dijk’s situation, the reason was clear: he received a red card during his first match with the Netherlands, resulting in an automatic suspension for the upcoming game against Hungary. However, Liverpool did not provide an explanation for Salah’s early return. The winger had played and scored in Egypt’s opening match of the international break, and there appeared to be no injury concerns for the 32-year-old.

The most probable explanation comes from Egypt’s manager Hossam Hassan, who mentioned in a recent press conference that he would allow Salah to skip the second match if he preferred not to participate. This upcoming game is against Mauritania and will be played on an artificial pitch, raising concerns about potential injury risks from both the opponents and the playing surface.

“If any player requests not to play on artificial turf, I will respect that,” Hassan stated. “The Mauritanian team plays aggressively, and their field conditions are not ideal. If Salah specifically asks to sit this one out, I will comply.” Egypt comfortably sit atop their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group, six points ahead of their nearest competition. With only three games left, manager Hossam Hassan appears confident enough to rest Mohamed Salah, trusting his squad to secure qualification without their star forward.

For Salah, this provides a chance to recharge and avoid any unnecessary risks from playing on Mauritania’s artificial pitch, known for its increased injury potential. By skipping this match, Salah minimizes his exposure to potential setbacks before returning to club duties. Both Salah and Virgil van Dijk are now back at Liverpool, gearing up for a challenging lineup of fixtures, starting with a home game against Chelsea, followed by an away trip to RB Leipzig, and culminating in a highly anticipated clash against Arsenal at the Emirates.

Source: https://dailycannon.com/2024/10/salah-arsenal-liverpool/