Mohamed Salah has a maximum of four games remaining as a Liverpool player, but the Egyptian forward might have already played his final match for the club. The 32-year-old was substituted during Liverpool's victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday after sustaining a hamstring injury.
Injury Timeline and Recovery
Egypt national team director Ibrahim Hassan confirmed that Salah has suffered a hamstring tear requiring approximately four weeks of treatment. "He has suffered a hamstring tear and will require four weeks of treatment," Hassan told Reuters. This timeline suggests Salah could miss the remainder of the Premier League season, with Liverpool facing Manchester United, Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Brentford in their final four fixtures.
If Salah is unable to return, his final Liverpool tally would stand at 440 appearances and 257 goals.
Manager's Reaction
Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed concern after the match. Speaking on Match of the Day, Slot said: "Another win and another injury. It's the story of our season." He added: "It's too early to say but we all know Mo and how hard it is for him to leave the pitch. For Mo to leave the pitch, it shows you something but we have to wait and see how bad it is."
In his press conference, Slot was cautious: "We don't know... that is the best answer I can give. If I say there might be a chance, that is probably the headline. We simply don't know, but what we do know is that the season is over in four weeks. There are not a lot of games to be played, so we have to wait and see how his injury is and if he is able to return to play."
The Dutchman also praised Salah's professionalism: "What I do know about Mo is that for all these years he has taken so good care of his body that he will have the minimum time required to recover from an injury. Let's hope for the best that he's available. But another injury after a win, that sums up our season."
Gerrard's Verdict
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard also commented on Salah's injury, suggesting it could be more serious than initially thought. "It would be sad, but let's hope that's not the case [that he's played his final game]," Gerrard said. "It's worse than Mo probably thinks it is now, but until you can get it properly assessed by the medical team, and you have an MRI scan, you don't really know the extent."
Gerrard added: "But if it is the case that he's played his last game, that would be extremely sad - not just for Mo but for everyone connected with Liverpool Football Club, because he's been a legend and everyone wants to see him get the send-off he deserves."
Salah's contract with Liverpool expires at the end of the season, and this injury could mean an abrupt end to his illustrious Anfield career.
