LIVERPOOL, May 1 — Arne Slot said Mohamed Salah “deserves a big send-off”, confirming he expected the departing superstar to return from injury before the season is over.

The Egypt forward, who will leave Anfield at the end of the campaign, was forced off in last weekend’s 3-1 win at home to Crystal Palace, prompting fears he may have played his final game for the Reds.

An emotional Salah applauded the fans and was given a standing ovation as he made his way off the pitch.

But Liverpool confirmed earlier this week that the 33-year-old had only suffered a “minor muscle injury” and was expected to return to action.

Slot’s men travel to face bitter rivals Manchester United on Sunday after three straight wins virtually sealed a place in next season’s Champions League.

“We expect him to be back in the final part of the season, but not for Sunday,” Liverpool boss Slot said at his pre-match press conference on Friday, describing the winger as a quick healer.

“In all ways it’s a big relief that his injury is minor, so that he’s able to play for us, that he’s able to play at the World Cup.

“And if there’s ever a player who deserves to get a big send-off, it’s definitely Mo.”

Salah has scored 257 goals in 440 appearances since his arrival at Anfield in 2017, behind only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt in Liverpool’s list of leading goalscorers.

He had a public spat with Slot in December, declaring he had “no relationship” with the Dutchman after being dropped for three consecutive games, but quickly returned to the fold.

Liverpool, whose Premier League title defence collapsed dramatically from late September, have four games remaining, starting with their trip to face United.

The Reds are fourth in the table, three points behind third-placed Manchester United but eight points clear of sixth-placed Brighton.

The top five automatically qualify for next season’s Champions League.

‘Right step’

Slot said qualifying for Europe’s top club competition was vital after a turbulent season.

“I wouldn’t say a step forward, but it’s the right step to make,” he said. “We know how important it is to qualify for the Champions League, for any club, but definitely for our club.”

The manager was asked whether he had been judged harshly in the light of Liverpool’s success last season, when they won the Premier League in his first campaign in charge.

“That’s for you guys to judge, if I’ve been too harshly judged by many people,” he said.

“That’s not up to me. I’m judging my football players, if they play well, if they work hard enough, if they execute tactics well enough, and I’m not in this job to judge if I’m criticised too harshly or too much or too less.”

Slot said first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who has not played since March, was nearing a return to training.

“He is very close but of course, also we don’t want to take any risks, because that’s never what you do with a player and that’s also not what we do now,” he said. — AFP