Liverpool boss Arne Slot says departing Mohamed Salah deserves 'big send-off'

[p]The Egypt forward, who will leave Anfield at the end of the campaign, was forced off in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/crystal-palace-AovF1Mia/liverpool-lId4TMwf/?mid=YaXS5GvH"]last weekend's 3-1 win at home to Crystal Palace[/a], prompting fears he may have played his final game for the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Reds[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/salah-mohamed/08FBycgB/"]Salah[/a] applauded the fans and was given a standing ovation as he made his way off the pitch.[/p][p][b]Liverpool confirmed on Wednesday that Salah, 33, had suffered a "minor muscle injury" and was expected to be able to return to action before the campaign comes to an end.[/b][/p][p]The club travel [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/liverpool-lId4TMwf/manchester-utd-ppjDR086/?mid=zRIM7cR1"]to face Manchester United on Sunday[/a] after three straight wins put them firmly on course for a place in next season's Champions League.[/p][p][b]"We expect him to be back in the final part of the season, but not for Sunday,"[/b] Liverpool boss Slot said at his pre-match press conference on Friday.[/p][p]"It's a big relief that his injury is minor, so that he's able to play for us, that he's able to play at the World Cup.[/p][p][b]"And if there's ever a player who deserves to get a big send-off, it's definitely Mo."[/b][/p][embed guid="c3ac255b-4358-4d22-b785-d82d45abe336" url="https://x.com/LFC/status/2049534425814483403" social-type="twitter" /][p]Salah has scored 257 goals in 440 appearances since his arrival at Anfield in 2017, behind only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt in Liverpool's list of leading goalscorers.[/p][p]He had a public spat with Slot in December, declaring he had "no relationship" with the Dutchman after being dropped for three consecutive games.[/p][p][b]But the Liverpool manager later said he had "no issue to resolve" with the forward returning to the fold.[/b][/p][p]Liverpool, whose Premier League title defence collapsed dramatically from late September, have four games remaining, starting with their trip to face United.[/p]