Salah free to concentrate on Reds in March

Cape Town - Liverpool have been handed a boost after Egypt confirmed they will not be calling up Mohamed Salah for their games in March.

Egypt play the Niger Republic in an African Cup of Nations qualifier on March 22 and then Nigeria in a friendly on March 26 but because the country has already qualified for the tournament, which they will host in the summer, they have decided not to include star man Salah in their squad for either game.

Vice-president of the country’s football body, Ahmed Shobier, confirmed the Liverpool striker will not be called up as head coach Javier Aguirre is expected to hand opportunities to some fringe players instead.

“Mohamed Salah will not play the Niger game in the AFCON qualifiers or the Nigeria friendly,” he told KingFut.

The news will be welcomed at Anfield as Salah, who is the Premier League leading goalscorer this season with 16 goals, will now not have to travel back to Africa for the games and can focus fully on helping Liverpool in their title bid and in the last 16 of the Champions League when they face Bayern Munich in the second leg on March 13.

Liverpool go to Everton for the Merseyside derby on March 3, before further games in the month against Burnley (March 10), Fulham (March 17) and Tottenham (March 31).