Egypt manager Hossam Hassan has downplayed suggestions of a crisis around Mohamed Salah at Liverpool and expressed confidence the forward can rediscover his best form with the national team at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Salah has not started Liverpool’s last five matches across all competitions. He was omitted from the squad entirely for Liverpool’s Champions League win over Inter and began on the bench against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. The run of appearances from the bench has prompted speculation over his future and rumours that he could leave Liverpool, though any move would almost certainly have to wait until after AFCON.

Hassan believes that exposure with Egypt will benefit Salah. “Whenever Salah’s performances dip with his club, he regains his strength with the national team and becomes even better, whether by contributing goals or scoring himself. Then he returns to his club even stronger,” Hassan said. The manager added that he has kept in close contact with the player: “We’ve been in contact with him by phone from the beginning, and I met with him when he joined the national team camp. His focus is entirely on the tournament.”

On Salah’s mood and preparation, Hassan was emphatic. “Salah’s morale in training is very high, as if he were just starting out with the national team, and I believe he will have a great tournament with his country.”

Hassan also highlighted the winger’s motivation and standing within Egyptian football. “I feel his motivation is very, very strong. Salah is an icon and will remain so. He is one of the best players in the world, and I support him in everything he does.” He added perspective on the club situation: “I don’t consider what happened to him to be a crisis. These things often happen between players and coaches.”

Salah arrives at AFCON determined to help Egypt chase a record-extending eighth title in Morocco. Despite a stellar career, he has yet to claim the continental crown, having lost in the finals to Cameroon in 2017 and Senegal in 2022.

Liverpool secured a third consecutive victory across competitions with a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, courtesy of goals from Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike. Minutes after breaking the deadlock, Isak went down following a challenge from Micky van de Ven and required several minutes of treatment on the pitch before he was forced off. Jeremie Frimpong was introduced in his place.

The forward’s injury is described broadly as a leg problem. Initial fears included the anterior cruciate ligament, but reports suggest the issue may not be so serious. Isak has been sent for tests to determine the severity of the problem.

Slot offered limited detail after the match but said the situation looked worrying on instinct. “I don’t have any news on him, but if a player scores, then gets injured and then doesn’t come back on the pitch and doesn’t try to come back—which Conor Bradley, for example, did, but I had to take him off as well because he couldn’t go on—but if a player doesn’t even try to come back, that’s usually not a good thing,” he said. “But I cannot say anything more than that, that is just a gut feeling. Nothing medical to say about it.”

Slot added: “I haven’t spoken to him about it yet. It’s a good thing that he scored—a good goal, assisted by Florian Wirtz.”

Projected recovery windows depend entirely on the test results. A minor ankle sprain could rule Isak out for roughly 2 to 6 weeks. A more serious high ankle sprain would likely extend the absence to around 8 to 10 weeks. In the worst-case scenario, if the ACL is damaged, the former Newcastle striker could be sidelined for as long as nine months.

Liverpool and the player now await the medical findings to set a clear timetable for return.

Arne Slot gave a guarded assessment after Alexander Isak was forced from the pitch following his goal in Liverpool’s win over Tottenham Hotspur. The 26-year-old summer recruit converted a first-time finish after Florian Wirtz slid a perfectly weighted pass into Isak’s stride, but his celebration never began. Spurs centre back Micky van de Ven’s challenge missed the ball and caught Isak, whose left knee appeared to twist awkwardly while his studs were caught in the turf.

Isak was left writhing on the turf and, after lengthy medical attention, had to be helped off with an arm draped across two physios. Slot declined to offer a firm medical update straight after the match. “We’ll have to wait and see,” he warned. “It is too short after the game to speak about it but it is never good when a player has to come off.”

“I don’t have any news on him,” the Liverpool boss reiterated in his postmatch press conference, “but if a player scores, then gets injured and then doesn’t come back on the pitch and doesn’t try to come back … that’s usually not a good thing.

“But I cannot say anything more than that, that is just [a] gut feeling. Nothing medical to say about it.” Slot had not yet spoken to Isak by the time of his media duties but worked to emphasise positives from the brief cameo.

Slot noted the link between the club’s two most expensive signings of all time. “It’s a good thing that he scored: a good goal, assisted by Florian Wirtz,” he said. “I said last week already players are getting better and the team is getting better. Again, it wasn’t perfect today, especially not in the last 10 minutes, but in the meantime we pick up points and I see the team developing in a way I like to see.”

The strike was Isak’s second Premier League goal for Liverpool and his first at Anfield remains pending. It was also the first assist Wirtz had created for a teammate in England’s top flight. Wirtz’s pass for Isak was recorded as his 27th Premier League chance created this season; the previous 26 had not resulted in goals.