\n<\/p>\n
There were no tears from Mohamed Salah when the final whistle went in Tangier as Egypt fell at the semi-final hurdle. Just a little smile, but one no doubt hiding immense disappointment.<\/b><\/p>\n
Yet again, his Egypt side had failed at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and, yet again, they had fallen against Senegal and Sadio Mane – Salah’s ex-Liverpool team-mate.<\/p>\n
Across the five games Salah started in Morocco, the 33-year-old scored four goals as he carried his nation to the semi-finals.<\/p>\n
After their quarter-final win against the Ivory Coast, Salah described it as the “best camp” he’d ever had.<\/p>\n
“We’re all close, we love each other, we hang out together, the humour is unbelievable, and we work hard both on and off the pitch,” said Salah.<\/p>\n
Salah is expected to return to Merseyside, where uncertainty still remains over his future, following Saturday’s third-place play-off against Nigeria in Casablanca. <\/p>\n
Salah last started a game for Liverpool on 26 November in the Champions League against PSV, which Arne Slot’s side lost 4-1.<\/p>\n
Since then, Liverpool are 11 games unbeaten (W6, D5), though the performances have been questionable – with Slot admitting last week he did not “completely disagree” with suggestions the Reds’ football has been “dull and boring” during that period.<\/p>\n
It is also over a month since Salah gave an explosive mixed zone interview at Leeds, where he accused Liverpool of “throwing him under the bus” after he was benched for three games in a row, and claimed his relationship with Slot had broken down.<\/p>\n
He was subsequently left out for Liverpool’s trip to Inter Milan but was not fined and returned to the squad against Brighton a few days later, coming off the bench in the first half when Joe Gomez was injured.<\/p>\n
Salah got an assist in the second half and was given a warm reception by the Anfield crowd, before staying to applaud all four sides of the ground after full-time as they serenaded their “Egyptian King” with his familiar song. That was his last appearance before joining up with his national team.<\/p>\n
Slot insisted after that there was “no issue to resolve”, with Curtis Jones also revealing Salah had apologised to his team-mates for the fallout from his interview.<\/p>\n
In his absence Liverpool have not lost a game, but they have lost striker Alexander Isak to a lower leg injury until at least March, while defender Conor Bradley has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n