Mohamed Salah ready to return for Liverpool after Afcon heartbreak

Mohamed Salah is expected to return to training with Liverpool on Tuesday as he looks to move on quickly from defeat in the Africa Cup of Nations final with Egypt.

Liverpool’s leading goalscorer arrived back in England shortly after his country’s penalty shootout loss to Senegal in Cameroon on Sunday. He intends to join Jürgen Klopp’s players in a light recovery session on Tuesday and put himself in contention to face Leicester in the Premier League at Anfield on Thursday.

Salah’s involvement against Brendan Rodgers’ side is not guaranteed, with Liverpool waiting to assess the forward after his recent workload and heavy travel itinerary. But his availability is another fillip for Klopp with the team still involved in four competitions. Sadio Mané, who converted the winning penalty to seal Senegal’s first Africa Cup of Nations title, may not be back in England until Wednesday having taken part in a homecoming parade in Dakar on Monday.

Liverpool coped comfortably in the absence of Salah and Mané, winning two Premier League games, reaching the Carabao Cup final at the expense of Arsenal and advancing to the fifth round of the FA Cup with victories over Shrewsbury and Cardiff. They have also added Colombia international Luis Díaz to their attacking ranks while the pair have been in Cameroon and welcomed back Harvey Elliott from a serious ankle injury.