Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Mohamed Salah is fit to start for Liverpool ahead of Thursday’s Europa League tie with Sparta Prague.
Salah has made his return from a hamstring injury with substitute appearances in Liverpool’s last two fixtures, as the Reds ease the Egyptian back into action.
Klopp said it is important that Liverpool build up the fitness of the 31-year-old, but said Salah is ready to be included from the start.
“It was impossible he could play longer in the last game [against Manchester City]. It’s important that we build up Mo,” Klopp said at his pre-match press conference.
“Obviously in this game, changing at half-time was not necessary or possible. We had to deal with changes carefully. He’s ready. Not for 90 minutes but he’s ready. We don’t have to deal with these kind of things anymore.
“I am not sure he’s ready for 90 minutes but he’s ready to start. That’s how it is. He could have started last game, but I’m not sure for how long. That’s how it is when players come back. I cannot remember a game where I’ve thought ‘ah good, Mo Salah is not playing, no problems’. It never happens.
“There was a game last Sunday and there are 10 more Premier League games, plus hopefully a lot more cup and European games. They are all as important. He is ready to start. Should that then be 90 minutes? It depends how it looks in that moment. He can normally play game after game. He was out for an unsurprisingly long time. But now he is back and we have to make sure we can count on him consistently again.”
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