Mohamed Salah himself was highly influential in Egypt’s decision to exempt him from an upcoming international camp, according to sources in Cairo, with the Liverpool forward said to have pleaded with his nation directly to put his long-term fitness before a one-off tournament.
Those close to the Egypt FA say that Salah’s relationship with new national team manager Hossam Hassan has started on frosty terms after the player was disappointed about the departure of previous boss Rui Vitoria, who he held a strong bond with.
Egypt are set to play New Zealand in Abu Dhabi later this month in a camp that could also include a ‘final’ of the friendly competition against one of Tunisia or Croatia. But Liverpool wrote to the nation to ask for their compliance in prioritising Salah’s fitness.
The 31-year-old is yet to start a club match since the New Year’s Day win over Newcastle, featuring three times off the bench as his 2024 has so far been plagued by injury. His first blow was picked up at the Africa Cup of Nations, which sparked a ‘row’ between club and country.
Both parties actually hold amicable relations despite the illusion that they were at war last week, when Egypt originally declined the Reds’ request to exempt their captain. Only after eight days of in-house talks at Egypt’s HQ did the nation reluctantly concede defeat.
Mohamed Salah pleded with the Egyptian FA to put his fitness before a friendly tournament
Salah’s relationship with new Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has started on frosty terms
And though there are no hard feelings between club and country, who both agreed that a friendly tournament was not the best long-term plan for the stricken forward, Egypt manager Hassan must now work to patch up his relationship with Salah.
Hassan, who only took over last month following the dismissal of Vitoria, was extremely reluctant to grant Liverpool their wish of exempting the player and was trying to convince the hierarchy as late as Saturday night to include him.
But sports minister Ashraf Sobhy talked Hassan into the decision. Confidential understands Egypt’s technical staff, also including the manager’s brother Ibrahim Hassan, have still barely spoken to Salah since AFCON, apart from an extremely brief call where not much was said.
Salah did, though, communicate directly with minister Sobhy and asked him politely to exempt him from the upcoming camp due to his injury. The forward is said to have been a big fan of previous boss Vitoria, which has not helped his early relationship with Hassan.
Any club-versus-country row looks to have been diffused but it appears the latest fallout could come between Salah and Egypt coach Hassan. Some in Egypt have suggested that Salah is not a fan at all of the new boss and the player is still upset about Vitoria’s exit.
During AFCON, Salah told local press that Portuguese boss Vitoria should stay as coach even if they had a disappointing tournament. Egypt wanted to sign Frenchman Herve Renard or former Manchester United coach Carlos Quieroz, which Salah endorsed.
After the upcoming camp, Egypt’s next games are World Cup qualifiers against Burkina Faso and Guinea-Bissau in early June, which local media has suggested could be ‘one to watch’ in terms of a potential clash between Salah and Hassan.
Salah’s injury at the Africa Cup of Nations had sparked a row between Liverpool and Egypt
The Liverpool star had been disappointed by the departure of Egypt head coach Rui Vitoria
Konate’s a model defender
Ibrahima Konate is a classy, modern defender – but now it appears he wants to be a fashionista off the pitch, too. Confidential believes that the Frenchman has a penchant for high-end fashion and is keen to do more photoshoots and modelling in the near future.
Konate recently did a shoot for Spanish publication FAMA and is open to similar opportunities in the coming years, mainly as a hobby. He missed the draw with Manchester City on Sunday but is hoping to be fit for the trip to Manchester United next week.
Ibrahima Konate modelled for a Spanish publication and is open to further opportunities
Break arrives at the perfect time for recovering stars
The three-week break before Liverpool next play a Premier League match has come at the perfect time for Jurgen Klopp and his medical team, with several key stars hopeful of returning within the next month.
Curtis Jones, Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota, Ryan Gravenberch and Trent Alexander-Arnold have all missed the last few weeks of action with setbacks but are all confident they have a role to play in the title race.
Jones was wearing a knee brace but was spotted at Anfield walking without aid on Sunday with the midfielder said to be going well in his recovery and will hope he can step up his road to a comeback in the coming weeks.
Alexander-Arnold, who also suffered ligament damage, will also undergo his rehabilitation work in the next weeks. He hopes to return for the next league game against Brighton as a best-case scenario but his rehab work will dictate whether that match falls too soon or not.
Alisson’s hamstring injury will take slightly longer to heal. He was not present at Wembley as Liverpool, featuring admirable stand-in keeper Caoimhin Kelleher, won the Carabao Cup. But he was sat just behind the substitutes’ bench for the 1-1 draw with City yesterday.
The most animated Alisson, wrapped up with a woolly hat alongside other injured stars, became during the match was not when Alexis Mac Allister equalised – but when fellow keeper Adrian jumped out of his seat to act as an impromptu ball boy and help Liverpool keep up the tempo.
Alisson gave Adrian an exaggerated clap and the two exchanged some banter. The club have not put a return date on Alisson’s injury but Kelleher has deputised admirably. There was a heart in mouth moment in Prague, though, when the Irishman required treatment after a knock.
Jurgen Klopp will be hoping to get key players back to fitness during a three-week break
Alisson is among the Liverpool stars hoping to return to action after the international break
Security teams ensure key match goes without a hitch
Plenty of innovative tactics on show in the dugouts at Anfield from Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp – but also from security teams around the stadium, who had stewards situated on the roof of stands to act as spotters for trouble.
It came as Merseyside Police were praised for a slick operation before the match in which thousands of fans waiting for team arrivals were hoodwinked as both buses took detours to avoid mass crowding and commotion.
Liverpool took a different route to the normal one and arrived at the stadium through an alternative entrance, while Manchester City’s bus – fearing attacks from Reds supporters after previous events – effectively went through the back door and snuck in without much fanfare.
Confidential also spotted several plain-clothed individuals walking around Anfield before the match using walkie-talkies. They could, of course, be regular fans talking to their mates – but they were likely to be hidden police officers watching out for trouble.
The match passed by without any fan violence, which means Merseyside Police and the two clubs must be commended for their combined efforts in planning a slick operation. All fans behaved themselves and enjoyed an enthralling game.
Luke Chambers could benefit if Xabi Alonso arrives
If Xabi Alonso is to become the Liverpool manager next season – and he is the hot favourite at this stage – then one man who might be a winner from that move is on-loan defender Luke Chambers, who is impressing at Wigan.
The defender was wanted by Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen last summer and the German club held talks to take the youngster on loan. That never materialised and Chambers instead remained on Merseyside and featured for the first team several times.
Chambers is now thriving at the League One outfit and won Wigan’s player of the month award for February. What works in his favour is his versatility, with the 19-year-old able to play both as a central defender in a back three, or a wide full back.
Shaun Maloney’s Wigan play a similar system to Alonso with a 3-4-3 shape. Chambers is said to be a studious professional. Speaking to Mail Sport last year, his former boss Derek McIness, who coached Chambers at Kilmarnock, described him as a ‘diamond of a boy’.
Luke Chambers, right, has impressed at Wigan and was wanted by Xabi Alonso last summer
Veteran Spearing sees red for the Under 21s
Liverpool’s Under 21s drew 0-0 with Reading on Sunday in Premier League 2 in a rather uneventful game – but the big talking point was the sending off for 35-year-old Jay Spearing, which caused a stir on social media.
Spearing, of course, is an overage player for the youth teams and is often seen patrolling touchlines in his role as an assistant coach. The former Liverpool player is set to feature in a Legends match on March 23 at Anfield.
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