When Mohamed Salah will be back with Liverpool after AFCON exit against Sadio Mane

Egypt's 1-0 defeat to Senegal means Mohamed Salah's AFCON dreams have ended in tears in once again. Now a return to Liverpool is on the cards, but he won't be involved in the Reds' next game

Mohamed Salah is set to return to Liverpool after Egypt's AFCON exit(Image: )

Mohamed Salah’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has ended in a familiar fashion, as the Liverpool star’s hopes of winning the competition were once again crushed.

Not for the first time, it was at the hands of former teammate Sadio Mane that Salah’s dreams were left in tatters. The Al-Nassr winger powered in the only goal of the semi-final between Senegal and Egypt when he unleashed from outside the area in the 78th minute.

It meant more heartbreak for Salah and another chance of AFCON glory for Mane, whose winning penalty secured the trophy in 2022 at the expense of Egypt.

Salah will have to contend with that devastating blow when he returns to Liverpool. However, despite Egypt’s elimination, the 33-year-old won’t be traveling back just yet.

The Pharaohs will face a third-place playoff on Saturday, with the game kicking off at roughly the same time as the Reds’ second half against Burnley.

That will, therefore, delay Salah’s departure from Morocco until next week. No definitive plans have been made at this stage and Liverpool is understood to be respectful of the fact that Egypt still has another game to focus on.

Mane once again crushed Salah's AFCON dream(Image: )

However, the expectation is that Salah could return in time for the Champions League trip to Marseille on Wednesday, before Liverpool faces Bournemouth the following weekend.

Of course, Salah was not involved in the Reds’ last European away game due to his incendiary remarks made in the Elland Road mixed zone a few days prior.

The forward claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club after being named as a substitute for the third game in a row against Leeds United and that the upcoming match against Brighton & Hove Albion could be his last for the club.

Salah is expected to return to Liverpool next week after AFCON's conclusion(Image: Getty Images)

That seems less likely now, and after missing that Inter Milan game, he was included in the squad to face the Seagulls before meeting up with the Egypt squad.

Salah was introduced as a first-half substitute and demonstrated the sort of commitment and passion that has often been in short supply this season.

His departure for AFCON was very much a pause in the story than a conclusion, though, and while the assumption is that Salah will remain with Liverpool until at least the end of the season, club executives have continued to evaluate the situation in the weeks since.

Whether Salah could still face disciplinary action remains unclear, but his involvement next week will be a welcome relief given the Reds' current lack of depth.