Mohamed Salah back with Liverpool after AFCON duty ahead of Marseille trip

Mohamed Salah has returned to Liverpool after Africa Cup of Nations duty and was being assessed before the squad flew to Marseille for Wednesday’s Champions League match.

The Egypt forward rejoined his team-mates on Merseyside a month after he departed with his future seemingly in doubt following a dispute with head coach Arne Slot.

After being left out of the side for three matches, Salah conducted an explosive interview after a chaotic draw at Leeds in which he accused the club of throwing him “under the bus” after results took a dive.

He also suggested he had no relationship with Slot and questioned whether he would remain at the club – comments which resulted in him being left out of the squad which travelled to Inter Milan in the Champions League.

Salah returned to the fold for a home game against Brighton and was an early first-half substitute for Joe Gomez, but he left for international duty in Morocco with his future still under a cloud.

The 33-year-old trained with the Reds on Tuesday lunchtime as they prepared for their trip to France.

It was still to be determined, however, if Salah, who played on Saturday as Egypt lost the third-place play-off, would be included in the travelling party for the league phase encounter.

Close friend Dominik Szoboszlai was in daily contact with Salah while he was away but declined to offer any insight into the forward’s mindset.

“We speak about everything (but) that’s between me and him,” the midfielder said. “He will come back and then we just keep on going.

“He will be here and it’s the decision of the manager and the club. It is not about us, it is about him.”

Szoboszlai is determined to put the worst week of his Liverpool career behind him as focus switches back to the Champions League with a top-eight place at stake.

The Hungary captain hit the crossbar with a first-half penalty in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Burnley, five days after he gifted Barnsley a goal with a backheel in his own six-yard box.

Szoboszlai still has a lot of credit in the bank – he began the FA Cup win over the Tykes with a brilliant 35-yard strike – as the team’s best player this season, but he is determined to rediscover his high standards.

“For me, personally, it was a tough one,” he said. “I made a mistake against Barnsley but I have to make it clear it wasn’t disrespectful, in my opinion, and I would do the same against Arsenal, City and against Chelsea as well.

“I wanted to keep going but I tried to pretend that I was playing it back (to goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili) – just to make it clear.

“I missed a penalty but I’m going to keep on going. I’m going to take the next one and I’m going to score, I’m pretty sure.

“You have to forget it, that’s the best, but of course you have to have learned from it.

“To be honest, if you see me after every session, I cannot practise more – and I’m not allowed to practise more because I’m practising as much as I can. I will keep on practising and if I have another chance I will take it.”

Szoboszlai’s future seems clearer, with talks continuing over a new contract.

“There is always progress but no decision has been made and I’ll just keep on going every week, every training, giving my best for the team, for the fans,” he said.

“Let’s see what is going to happen in the future. Of course I am happy here but you know how football works and that is something everybody has to take into account.”