Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says forward Mohamed Salah is “ready to start” when the Reds take on Sparta Prague in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday.
Liverpool hold a 5-1 lead after a convincing win in the Czech Republic.
“It’s super important we build up Mo, he’s ready, top fit,” said Klopp.
“I’m not sure he’s ready for 90 minutes, I’m not sure we should do 90 minutes, but he’s ready to start.
“He would’ve been ready to start the last game [the 1-1 draw with Manchester City] but you don’t know how long it would’ve made sense for and that’s always the problem when players come back.
“There are 10 more Premier League games and hopefully more European and cup games, and they are as important.
“Mo usually can play game after game, now he was out for a surprisingly long time. He’s back and we have to make sure we can really count on him consistently.”
Salah is the club’s top scorer this season with 19 goals, but tore a hamstring in Egypt’s 2-2 Afcon draw with Ghana in January.
He came on as a substitute and scored in Liverpool’s 4-1 win at Brentford on 17 February but then missed the Reds’ next four matches, including the 1-0 Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea.
Salah played the last 16 minutes and injury time in the first-leg win over Sparta Prague, as two goals from Darwin Nunez and efforts from Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz and Dominik Szoboszlai put Liverpool in charge before the second leg at Anfield.
Despite the commanding lead, Klopp is not underestimating the opponents.
“I’m absolutely on my toes for this and we have to make sure everyone is the same,” said Klopp.
“We have to ignore the result, but not the performance. Performance-wise they had massive chances against us and they caused us massive problems in moments.
“Caoimhin [Kelleher] had to make some outstanding saves and that’s in my mind, not how we scored the goals because that was individual quality.
“We need to keep the rhythm going and not think about the next game on Sunday when the opponent is Manchester United.”
Liverpool are second in the Premier League and also in the FA Cup quarter-finals as they look to add more silverware after their Carabao Cup triumph.
But Klopp, who will be leaving the club in the summer, is only focused on the next match.
“It’s a long run-in in all competitions,” he said. “We’re not close to the finish line, I can’t see the finish line, I just see Sparta Prague wants to put things right.
“We have to play a really good football game because it’s our home game, our stadium, our competition and we have wanted to make it our competition from the first day and want to go as far as possible.”
