EAST RUTHERFORD (New Jersey) • Jurgen Klopp is hoping that Mohamed Salah's shoulder injury nightmare is finally over, after the forward made a scoring return in Wednesday's 2-1 pre-season International Champions Cup victory over English Premier League champions Manchester City.

The Egypt international - who was Liverpool's top scorer last season with 44 goals in all competitions - came on as a second-half substitute and the 26-year-old levelled the scores almost immediately before team-mate Sadio Mane scored the winner.

Leroy Sane had opened the scoring for City at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

"He is in that moment but he has absolutely no issues... He came in and scored after pretty much 35 seconds. He had a big impact together with Sadio... played fantastic," Klopp told reporters of Salah, who suffered a shoulder injury in the club's Champions League final defeat by Real Madrid in May.

Salah's high-flying return allayed fears over his form following the injury, which prevented him from making an impact at the World Cup in Russia.

The Reds manager also praised Mane's performance after the forward, who was also involved in the World Cup for Senegal, was introduced in the second half as well.

"The second half pleased me, first half not so much," the German said. "You saw the difference when Sadio came on. He played balls in behind and made life difficult."

Liverpool will next face rivals Manchester United tomorrow.

United manager Jose Mourinho's preparations for the new season have been further hit by Anthony Martial flying home from the US tour to attend the birth of his child.

Martial's departure seems to have taken the club by surprise as he was listed on United's website as available for their evening match with AC Milan, who they beat 9-8 on penalties following a 1-1 draw.

But, according to The Guardian, Mourinho suggested he knew of the Frenchman's decision.

"When it is personal reasons, everyone analyses the way he thinks is the correct way," he said.

"And, when a man is going to be a father and he decides it is very important for him to go, nobody has the right to stop him to go."

Martial had said that he wants to leave United, according to his agent, and Mourinho has accepted he can be sold but only to an overseas club.

REUTERS, THE GUARDIAN