Bong backs Salah

BRIGHTON’S Gaetan Bong says there is no chance that globetrotting Mo Salah will be worn out when the Liverpool star arrives at the Amex today.

The Egyptian has just returned from two long trips to receive two awards.

First he headed to Senegal on Tuesday where he picked up his second successive trophy for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Player of the Year

(above right).

Then he rushed to Dubai to collect a trophy for Outstanding Arab Athlete from Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Creative Sports Awards.

That has led to speculation the Liverpool man could be running out of gas by the time he faces Brighton.

But full-back Bong (right) – the man who will have to mark him – is having none of it.

“First of all, I would love to congratulate him because I am an African player and I know what it means for us and he had a great season,” said Bong, who has 12 caps for Cameroon.

“Will he be tired? No. I’m telling you, these players are doing this all year. They are travelling, going for the sponsor, and they always find a way to rest as well. When I was with Samuel Eto’o with the national team, sometimes he was away for three days because he had things to do. But in the game he was always on the top because they are used to doing it.”

As for Bong, he opted not to watch the CAF awards.

“I was with my daughter and sometimes I need to spend time with the family,” he said. “But congratulations to Mo because I think he deserved it. He had the best year and, yes, I am happy for him.” That doesn’t mean, however, that Bong expects Salah to get the better of him today.

He added: “I will just play my football and

I will find a way to disturb him as much as I can so he is not at his best. This is, first of all, my job as a defender.”

Bong will start after fellow left-back Bernardo picked up a hamstring injury.

Winger Jose Izquierdo is also out, while keeper Mat Ryan and winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh are at the Asian Cup.