In one of the least surprising stories of the year, Mo Salah has been named in Egypt’s squad for AFCON as his departure looms.
Everyone has been aware of the impact that may be had on the squad with our Egyptian King missing for several games, whilst the competition takes place.
Our next game against Chelsea is the last time we will have our No.11, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita, until they return from the prestigious tournament.
The squad in full is:
Goalkeepers: Mohamed El-Shennawy (Al Ahly, Egypt), Mohamed Sobhi (Pharco, Egypt), Mohamed Abogabal (Zamalek, Egypt), Mahmoud Gad (Enppi, Egypt).
Defenders: Ahmed Fatouh, Mahmoud Alaa, Mahmoud Hamdy El-Wensh (all Zamalek, Egypt), Ayman Ashraf, Akram Tawfik, (both Al Ahly), Omar Kamal, Mohamed Abdel-Moneim (both Future, Egypt), Ahmed Hegazi (Ittihad Jeddah, Saudi Arabia).
Midfielders: Hamdi Fathi, Amr El-Sulya (both Al Ahly, Egypt), Emam Ashour, Ahmed Sayed Zizo (both Zamalek, Egypt), Abdallah El-Said, Ramadan Sobhi (both Pyramids, Egypt), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal, England), Omar Marmoush (VfB Stuttgart, Germany), Mohanad Lasheen (Tala’a El-Gaish, Egypt), Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet (Aston Villa, England).
Forwards: Mostafa Mohamed (Galatasaray, Turkey), Mohamed Sherif (Al Ahly, Egypt), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, England).
Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny and Aston Villa’s Trezeguet are the only other Premier League players to be in the squad and it’s important to note that we won’t be the only team that are without key players.
At present our trio of players are set to miss both legs of the Arsenal Carabao Cup semi-final, Shrewsbury in the FA Cup, Brentford at Anfield and Crystal Palace away.
Fingers crossed we handle their departure well and it doesn’t cost us too much in our pursuit of four trophies in the final five months of the season.