MO SALAH will miss Liverpool’s next three games after testing positive for coronavirus for a second time.
The Reds forward had hoped to get the all clear to travel back to Merseyside today after isolating for a week in Egypt – but a test yesterday showed he was still infected by Covid-19.
Mo Salah, left, and his Egypt team-mate Mohamed Elneny both tested positive for coronavirus againCredit: AFP or licensors
That means he has to stay in quarantine in his home country for a further week, ruling him out of Liverpool’s clash with Leicester on Sunday and the Champions League match with Atalanta next week.
Premier League regulations mean a player has to isolate for ten days from a positive test before they can train or play again – and the trip to Brighton next weekend is the final day of that period.
That means the earliest Salah can hope to be back in action for Jurgen Klopp’s side is when they face Ajax at Anfield on December 1.
Salah and his Egypt team-mate Mohamed Elneny both returned second positive tests having contracted the illness while away on international duty.
Arsenal midfielder Elneny, like Salah, will now have to stay in the country for another week – ruling him out of the league game at Leeds and the Europa League trip to Molde.
But the Premier League match at home to Wolves the following week is being played on Sunday, which means Elneny will have seen out his ten day quarantine in time to be available.
The Gunners have suffered a double Covid-19 blow with defender Sead Kolasinac also testing positive on Wednesday.
Kolasinac was away with Bosnia-Herzegovina and his national association revealed he had also contracted the virus, meaning he too will miss the Leeds and Molde matches.
Klopp is also without Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk for the clash against the Foxes.
Gomez underwent knee surgery after suffering tendon damage in England training and joins Van Dijk as a long-term absentee.
Alexander-Arnold pulled out of the Three Lions squad with a troublesome calf.
Salah has ten goals in 13 appearances this season – including eight in eight in the Premier League.
He tweeted on Tuesday evening: “I’d like to thank everyone for the supportive messages and well wishes.
“I’m confident I’ll be back on the field soon.”
The news follows Monday’s Premier League announcement that they have had a 400 per cent increase in positive coronavirus tests over the last week.
A worrying 16 results returned positive over the seven days up to Sunday, even though the number of those being examined was 25 per cent fewer than usual.
Liverpool star Mo Salah tests positive for coronavirus after linking up with Egypt national team
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
