‘Maybe he’s back next week’ – Virgil van Dijk gives encouraging update on Mohamed Salah | OneFootball

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has offered a glimmer of hope to the Anfield faithful, suggesting that Mohamed Salah’s legendary career on Merseyside may not have reached a premature end.

The Egyptian superstar was forced off during Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace with a suspected hamstring injury, sparking widespread fears that he had played his final minutes for the club ahead of his confirmed departure this summer.

As Salah walked slowly toward the tunnel in the 59th minute, the atmosphere at Anfield was one of somber appreciation, with many fearing the worst.

Egypt’s assistant coach also gave a worrying update, citing a four-week period on the sidelines from the hamstring injury.

However, Van Dijk remains optimistic that the “Egyptian King” could still feature in the season’s final weeks.

Virgil Van Dijk optimistic on early Mohamed Salah return

Van Dijk struck a defiant yet cautious tone regarding his teammate’s recovery.

While the club awaits official scan results, the captain emphasised Salah’s professional drive to return.

Van Dijk said (quotes via The Independent): “There will be a medical assessment and then that will determine what the issue is going to be. I know he is doing everything in his power to be back on the pitch as soon as possible.

“If you get injured at this stage of the season, especially in the situation he is in [when] there is only two more home games left for him, it’s a combination of feelings that go through your mind when you go off.

“The reality is he has to get scanned and assessed. Hopefully he won’t be long but at this point I don’t know. Maybe he’s back next week, maybe not. I have no idea. He will get the send-off regardless.

“I don’t think that is the thing at this point; we shouldn’t think too far ahead. Knowing Mo, he is a quick healer with the right people around us, and let’s see.”

Salah’s impeccable injury history

Part of the optimism surrounding a potential return stems from Salah’s extraordinary physical resilience.

Throughout his nine-year tenure at Liverpool, the 33-year-old has rarely been sidelined for extended periods, maintaining a fitness record that is virtually unrivaled in the Premier League.

Since joining in 2017, Salah has been the model of consistency, featuring in 440 matches and scoring 257 goals, missing just eight games in eight years.

His ability to avoid long-term layoffs has been a vital part of Liverpool’s success under both Jurgen Klopp and now Arne Slot.

If anyone can defy the usual four-week recovery timeline for a hamstring tear, it is the man who has spent nearly a decade leading the line with iron-clad durability.

Supporters now face a nervous wait to see if that recovery power can grant him one last dance at Anfield.