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Mo Salah (left) of Liverpool and Egypt.
title race

Liverpool receive boost as Egypt pardon Salah from international duty

The Pharaohs won’t be calling on the Reds star for fixtures against Nigeria and Niger next month.

LIVERPOOL HAVE SEEN their Premier League title bid handed a timely boost, with Egypt revealing that they will not call upon Mohamed Salah for their March internationals.

The 26-year-old forward is a talismanic presence for his country, with his efforts having helped to fire them to the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia.

He has a key role to play for the Pharaohs in the future, but is set to be awarded a much-needed break.

That news will be welcomed at Anfield, with Liverpool desperate to keep key men fresh as they endeavour to secure a first top-flight crown in 29 years.

They had been expecting to see Salah head away next month for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with Niger and a friendly clash with Nigeria. Instead, he will now be allowed to remain in England and rest.

Vice-president of the Egyptian Football Association, Ahmed Shobier, told KingFut: “Mohamed Salah will not play the Niger game in the AFCON qualifiers or the Nigeria friendly. Ahmed Hegazi will probably also be left out of the squad.”

Hegazi is currently on the books at West Brom, so they will also be delighted to discover that no international risks will be taken over the coming weeks.

The Baggies are pushing for promotion out of the Championship, with Darren Moore hoping to deliver a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

With Javier Aguirre set to overlook Hegazi, he will be given the chance to ready himself for the domestic challenges to come. The same will be true for Salah.

Liverpool have seen a man who netted 44 goals across all competitions last season record another 19 in the current campaign.

Keeping him fit and firing is crucial to any hopes Jurgen Klopp’s side have of prevailing in a tussle with Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur for title glory.

They are due to face Spurs as part of their March schedule, along with Premier League fixtures against Burnley, Everton and Fulham.

The Reds will also take in the second leg of a heavyweight Champions League last-16 encounter with Bayern Munich.

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