The "Bronze" Dilemma: Liverpool and Man City Push for Salah and Marmoush's Early Return

The relevance of the AFCON 2026 third-place play-off is under fire as Liverpool and Manchester City fans demand the immediate return of Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. While modern football trends (like the Euros) have scrapped such fixtures to ease player burnout, Salah has a massive personal incentive to play: he is just one goal behind Morocco’s Brahim Diaz in the race for the Golden Boot (5 goals vs. 4).

Adding fuel to the fire, Pep Guardiola publicly expressed his wish for Marmoush’s swift return to rest an exhausted Erling Haaland, sparking rumors of club pressure to skip the clash against Nigeria. The debate remains: should the Egyptian stars prioritize national pride and individual accolades, or heed the calls of their clubs facing a tight Premier League schedule?