Salah May Return Next Week, Klopp Says

Liverpool's forward Mohamed Salah. (AFP)
Liverpool's forward Mohamed Salah. (AFP)
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Salah May Return Next Week, Klopp Says

Liverpool's forward Mohamed Salah. (AFP)
Liverpool's forward Mohamed Salah. (AFP)

Liverpool winger Luis Diaz is fit while Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai could also be back for their trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday but forward Mohamed Salah will not return until at least next week, manager Juergen Klopp said.

Klopp has been wrestling with an injury crisis in recent weeks that has sidelined several key players and forced him to turn to the club's academy to plug the holes.

Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold, goalkeeper Alisson, Curtis Jones, Salah, Nunez and Szoboszlai all missed last Sunday's League Cup final win over Chelsea along with a number of longer term absentees.

Diaz then sat out Wednesday's FA Cup win over Southampton, but is fine to face Forest - along with midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, who has been ill.

"(Diaz) is fine and Macca (Alexis Mac Allister) is fine," Klopp told reporters on Friday.

"Darwin and Dom trained yesterday with the team so we will see how they react," the Liverpool manager added, according to AFP.

Salah has not featured for the Premier League leaders since their visit to Brentford on Feb. 17 when he made a brief return after suffering an injury at the Africa Cup of Nations, but he could be in contention for next Sunday's game against title rivals Manchester City.

"I don't think Mo (Salah) is too far off. He will not feature tomorrow... I think next week, any point, it's possible."

Midfielder Wataru Endo and left back Andy Robertson also both missed the midweek win over Southampton but are set to train with the team on Friday. Mac Allister and Robertson were both briefly sick with the same illness, Klopp said.

Liverpool's youngsters have stepped up to the plate in the absence of the established starters with 18-year-olds Jayden Danns and Lewis Koumas scoring their first goals for the senior team in Wednesday's 3-0 FA Cup win over Championship side Southampton.

Klopp said it was his job to protect the youngsters from the spotlight.

"I know that they are not ready to it... it was wonderful, they deserve it, of course, the spotlight that night... but now it's about dealing with the challenges coming up," he said.

The manager said Liverpool were under pressure to win every match to stay ahead in the title race, a situation similar to 17th-placed Forest who are fighting to stay clear of the relegation zone.

"We are only one point above Man City and two above Arsenal but that means nothing," he said.

"Nottingham is a great place to play but a difficult one. The situation they are in is a similar one to us, they need to win games to reach their target as much as we can," he added.

Forest, with 24 points, are four points above the relegation zone.



Alcaraz Crushes Shevchenko to Reach Second Round at Australian Open

 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain waves as he leaves Margaret Court Arena after his first round win over Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain waves as he leaves Margaret Court Arena after his first round win over Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP)
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Alcaraz Crushes Shevchenko to Reach Second Round at Australian Open

 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain waves as he leaves Margaret Court Arena after his first round win over Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP)
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain waves as he leaves Margaret Court Arena after his first round win over Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP)

Carlos Alcaraz began his bid to complete a career Grand Slam with an imperfect but entertaining 6-1 7-5 6-1 win over Kazakh Alexander Shevchenko to ease into the Australian Open second round on Monday.

Four-times major champion Alcaraz is targeting his maiden trophy at Melbourne Park to become the youngest man to capture all four Grand Slam titles and the 21-year-old went all guns blazing after a slightly nervy opening game.

"I always say that it's hard work," Alcaraz said.

"I try to bring the best of me every day. That's the secret. Every day I try to be a better person and better player."

The third seed, still fine-tuning a new service motion that he adopted in the off season, fended off a break point and then broke in the third game to take full control of the opening set which he wrapped up in double quick time.

French Open and Wimbledon holder Alcaraz found his range with some devastating winners on both flanks and went up 3-1 in the second set but world number 77 Shevchenko won the next four games as fans on Margaret Court Arena got behind the underdog.

Alcaraz switched back on and struck a fiery forehand winner to set up another break point and drew level in the 10th game as his opponent began to feel the intense pressure again and went on to surrender the set.

With the momentum having swung definitively, 2022 US Open champion Alcaraz reeled off games in the third set and finished it off with a big ace on his fifth match point to book a second-round meeting with Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka.

"He's a really solid player," Alcaraz said.

"I have to be focused on my shots ... Hopefully I can enjoy the match, it's going to be tough. I'll try to produce some good tennis for people to enjoy."