Liverpool, Arsenal stars returning to England after positive tests
Egypt’s Premier League stars, Mohamed Salah and Mohamed Elneny, are returning to their clubs having secured a private flight back to England. This comes after the duo tested positive for Covid-19 while on international duty.
Liverpool forward Salah missed out on Egpyt’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers this time, after testing positive for coronavirus last Friday. Egypt faced Togo in a qualification double-header, but Salah was unavailable for either match.
On Wednesday the 28-year-old tested positive for a second time while isolating, and will miss Liverpool’s upcoming game on Sunday, when the Reds come up against Leicester in a much-anticipated top of the table fixture.
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As reported by Goal, Kop-favourite Salah will not be able to get another test until Monday – his tenth and final day in quarantine, were the test to come back negative.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny contracted coronavirus on Tuesday, the Egypt Football Association reported. The midfielder had already played in their 1-0 win over Togo three days earlier but was forced out of the following Group G game against their African rival. Hossam El Badry’s side ran out the game 3-1 winners, confirming their qualification for next year’s tournament.
Arsenal head to Elland Road this weekend to face newly promoted Leeds United, but will have to do without the 28-year-old, who has received much praise so far this season.
Elneny and Salah will be travelling back to London on Friday, with the Egptian pair travelling on a “medically equipped” plane. They will be tested on arrival before continuing their spells in self-isolation respectively.
This news was confirmed by the Egyptian FA on their website. “Salah and Mohamed Elneny, the stars of the professional national team in England, would travel tomorrow from Hurghada airport on a private plane equipped with medical equipment, hoping that their cases would soon turn negative and be able to return to their two teams in their next matches,” read the statement.
The increase of coronavirus cases amongst players returning to their countries has raised questions amongst some in the media regarding the feasibility of international football given the current coronavirus pandemic.