Egypt star Mohamed Salah's decision to leave the national team camp at the African Cup of Nations has come under scrutiny.

Salah is back in Liverpool to recuperate from an injury that he sustained at AFCON.

Salah is hoping to be fit from his hamstring injury ahead of the semi finals, if Egypt make it that far.

“I've always backed Salah and I was very happy with his presence as captain of the Egyptian national team," said Pharaohs' legend Ahmed Hassan, who helped Egypt win four AFCONs between 1998 and 2010.

“I had no problems with what he said, but it turned out that he was plotting his departure from the Egypt camp.

“Do the AFCON regulations allow a player to leave the national team's camp and come back again? He had the possibility of bringing in someone from Liverpool's medical staff to be with him during the competition. Again, he is the captain. He should stay with the team no matter what, even if he only had one leg to stand on.

“He even said himself that it's the Egyptian national team, not Salah's national team, and this is true. We have confidence in all the players who are there and they must fight for the title."