Klopp confident Liverpool star Salah will return for Manchester City clash

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expects Mohamed Salah to be available for next week’s Champions League quarter-final encounter with Manchester City after deciding to leave him off the matchday squad for Saturday’s Merseyside derby.

Salah picked up a groin injury in the second half of the first-leg quarter-final victory over Manchester City.

Although he failed to overcome the problem in time for the final Merseyside derby of the season, Klopp is confident that Salah, along with Andy Robertson who was also ruled out of Liverpool’s clash with Everton through injury, will be ready when the Reds travel to the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

“Mo (Salah), he’s injured,” Klopp said. “I don’t think it is really serious and he can be available for Tuesday but for today he wasn’t available. It’s the same with (Andy Robertson).”

Salah, who scored the opener in Liverpool’s 3-0 triumph over City on Wednesday, sits two goals back of the Premier League single-season scoring record in a 38-match season after finding the back of the net 29 times in 31 appearances.

If he manages to regain fitness, he will have a chance to break the record – which is shared by Alan Shearer, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Luis Suarez – next weekend when Liverpool takes on Bournemouth.