Mo Salah and Sadio Mane to attend awards ceremony in Ghana 24hrs before Merseyside derby
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have been given permission to attend the the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) player of the year award in Ghana – despite it being just 24hrs before a Merseyside derby.
The duo are on the three-man shortlist for the award alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The ceremony takes place on Thursday evening and both players will be in attendance.
They will then fly back to England overnight ahead of Liverpool’s FA Cup Third Round tie with Everton on Friday.
More: Football
Jurgen Klopp explained why he gave the players permission.
‘We have everything organised,’ said the Liverpool manager following his side’s 2-1 win at Burnley, in which Mane scored.
‘We have two of the three best African players in our squad. We have to show them respect.
‘If it had been a matchday, they wouldn’t have asked [to attend]. We sleep in a hotel, they sleep in a plane. That is all the difference.’
Salah missed the game with Burnley through injury and could still be absent on Friday.
‘If Mo is not fit, it will not be for that [the trip to Ghana].
‘For our side, it is just a sign of respect.
‘I had Aubameyang [at Borussia Dortmund] and there is nothing more important than to go there.’
More: Liverpool FC
Salah is the favourite to win the award having made an incredible impact at Liverpool since joining from Roma over the summer.
MORE: Liverpool duo Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah doubts for Everton showdown
[contf] [contfnew] 
METRO
[contfnewc] [contfnewc]
The post Mo Salah and Sadio Mane to attend awards ceremony in Ghana 24hrs before Merseyside derby appeared first on News Wire Now.
