Mohamed Salah tests positive for Covid-19, Egyptian FA confirms

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has tested positive for Covid-19, the Egyptian FA has confirmed.

The Egyptian FA said on Twitter Salah had returned a positive test, although the 28-year-old is not showing any symptoms.

The governing body added the rest of the Egypt team were negative for coronavirus, while Salah is now self-isolating and will be “subject to more checks in the coming hours”.

Egypt host Togo on Saturday in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier before playing the reverse fixture on Tuesday.

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Liverpool are next in action against Leicester on November 22 – live on Sky Sports – a match Salah would miss under current UK Government guidelines despite being asymptomatic.

The Government website states: “If you do not have symptoms but have tested positive for COVID-19, stay at home and self-isolate for 10 days from the day the test was taken.”

It would also make him a doubt for the home Champions League tie against Atalanta on November 25 given he is unable to train with his club team-mates.

The news comes after Liverpool lost defender Joe Gomez to a long-term injury, although the club are hopeful the England international will return before the end of the season.

Right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to miss the Leicester match with a muscle injury, while Virgil van Dijk is out for the season after requiring knee surgery following a collision with Jordan Pickford in the Merseyside derby.

Salah is also the fourth Liverpool first-team player to test positive for coronavirus this season, following Thiago in September and then Sadio Mane and Xherdan Shaqiri in October.

Liverpool set to be missing seven first-teamers against Leicester

Analysis by Sky Sports’ Richard Morgan:

Mohamed Salah’s positive test for Covid-19 means the Egypt forward joins a lengthening list of players set to miss Liverpool’s top-of-the-table clash with Leicester City at Anfield next weekend.

Jurgen Klopp has already lost centre-backs Virgin van Dijk and Joe Gomez to long-term knee injuries, while the Premier League champions’ defence will also be missing regular right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold due to a calf strain sustained in their last league outing at Manchester City.

Meanwhile, Liverpool might be unable to use versatile holding midfielder Fabinho as cover in defence against the Foxes, with the Brazil international still recovering from the hamstring strain he picked up against FC Midtjylland at the end of October.

All of which means Klopp will be without three of his first-choice back four when the Premier League returns to action after the international break, with midfield also a problem area for the German.

Summer signing Thiago Alcantara is still suffering from the effects of the knee injury he sustained against Everton on October 17, although there is hope the playmaker may be fit enough to feature against Leicester.

However, the same cannot be said of fellow midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who injured his knee in pre-season training at the end of August and is still yet to resume training.

(c) Sky Sports 2020: Mohamed Salah tests positive for Covid-19, Egyptian FA confirms