Roy Hodgson has said that Watford star Isamaila Sarr has a chance of featuring against Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.
The Hornets, who are currently three points from safety in the Premier League, have been without the Senegal international for a month after he sustained a hamstring injury.
He did, however, feature in both of his national side’s clashes with Egypt in the recent World Cup qualifiers, including 120 minutes and a penalty shootout on Tuesday night.
“His chances of being involved are okay as far as I’m concerned,” Hodgson said (via the Watford Observer).
“I’ve seen him today, he’s been recovering but as long as tomorrow he convinces us that he’s recovered from the efforts…it was 120 minutes as well, and he played both games, so it’s been been a hard journey for him to play for Senegal this time, but a successful one, so that’s buoyed his spirits I’m sure.
“I’m pretty certain that he’ll be putting his hand up tomorrow to ask to be put into the starting lineup.
“And as far as I’m concerned, a player of his quality is going to be very, very important for the club, if we are going to pull ourselves away from the relegation zone, because you can’t do it without players of that sort of quality.”
Both Sadio Mane, who is Sarr’s international teammate, and Mo Salah, who was playing for Egypt, played every minute of both games and may need to be assessed before Saturday’s clash.
Of course, both players will want to play and are of significant importance to us, but with the huge run of fixtures that follow the clash with the Hornets, no risks whatsoever should be taken.
It’ll be interesting to see the starting XI Jurgen Klopp names at the weekend – let’s hope we can earn all three points and leapfrog Manchester City at the top of the table for a few hours at least.
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