Liverpool have confirmed that Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk will return home from international duty after being released by their respective nations.

Salah will not feature in Egypt’s return fixture against Mauritania on Tuesday, despite scoring in their African Cup of Nations qualifier clash against the side on Friday. The Liverpool star’s efforts ensured his side recorded a 2-0 victory in Cairo as they look to improve on their performance at last year’s AFCON tournament – where Egypt were knocked out in the round of 16 by DR Congo.

He’s set to return to Liverpool earlier than expected, leaving his nation’s camp ahead of their final October international fixture.

Dutchman Van Dijk will also leave his nation’s camp early after picking up two yellow cards in the Netherlands’ 1-1 UEFA Nations League draw with Hungary on Friday evening. The Anfield captain’s sending off was his first on the international stage, making him ineligible for his country’s clash with Germany on Monday.

The defender admitted his ‘anger’ after being shown two yellows by Swiss referee Lukas Fahndrich, explaining after the game: “They say the captain is the only one who can talk to the referee. I walk up to him. Up tempo, but not in a nasty way, not at all. Very respectful. Because I felt it was a breakaway player, he did not go for the ball at all. If even the captain can not say anything… then it gets difficult.”

The pair will return to Merseyside but will not return to action until Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Chelsea on 20 October.

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