Mohamed Salah returned to Liverpool training after the club benefitted from a coronavirus quarantine 'loophole'.
Salah initially tested positive for coronavirus on November 13 when on international duty with Egypt.
He then returned a second positive test on November 18, forcing him to miss Sunday's [November 22] 3-0 win over Leicester City. Manager Klopp revealed after the game Salah had returned a negative test that day.
Premier League guidelines state a player cannot take part in training or play until 10 days after a positive test, but The Sun claim those lines have been 'blurred' so the 10 day period counts from the initial positive test.
It means that Salah was available for training on Monday [November 23], rather than Saturday [November 28] and is in contention for tonight's Champions League clash with Atalanta.
This contradicts government rules which state quarantine should commence from each individual test rather than the first.
Current UK law reads: "If you have symptoms, the ten days starts from when they started. If you have not had symptoms, the ten days starts from when you had the test."
Liverpool have not broken any rules, but it does mean the Premier League could come under scrutiny as Appendix 14 of their regulations stress players need to follow government guidelines.
They state: "Each Club must ensure that: (i) all PDP Persons comply with Government guidance regarding management of COVID-19 symptoms experienced by them or any member of their household, including any 'test and trace' guidance or policy implemented by Government
"(ii) in the event that a PDP Person develops symptoms of COVID-19 at any point: a. they self-isolate for ten days or until symptoms resolve (whichever is the later); and b. members of the PDP Person's household self-isolate for 14 days."
Klopp confirmed Salah will be returning to the fold but offered no hint as to if he'll start.
A welcome boost for Liverpool!
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 24, 2020
Mohamed Salah is back in training and could return to face Atalanta on Wednesday.#UCL pic.twitter.com/mNCalkah7g
"Mo trained with the team really good," the German explained per Daily Mail.
"All the tests were negative so if nothing changes he is available. We have to see what we can do with that."
Liverpool currently top their Champions League group after three wins from their first three games.
Salah got on the score sheet in the reverse fixture against Atalanta, with a Diogo Jota hat-trick and Sadio Mane strike ensuring an emphatic 5-0 win.
source https://www.sportbible.com/football/football-news-mo-salah-returned-to-liverpool-training-thanks-to-loophole-20201125
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