Mohamed Salah set tongues a-wagging when he posted a photo on his Instagram account showing him out and about in New York city.
With Liverpool knee-deep in a Premier League title race and due to play Huddersfield on Friday night, Salah shared an image of himself at Serafina pizzeria, an Italian restaurant in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan.
When in NYC... eat like you're in Rome ?? pic.twitter.com/WPEYJxKafi
— Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) 23 April 2019
Salah sat posing in front of two artisan pizzas: a Margherita priced at $15, and a "Tartufo Nero" pie, topped with Italian cheeses and black truffles, priced at a lofty $29.
However, with an important game a matter of days away, many Reds fans were left querying exactly why their star man was gadding about in New York rather than preparing at Melwood.
We have a huge match in 70 Hours. Why is Mo Salah in New York eating Pizzas? #LFC
— Eoin (@EoinCasey1) 23 April 2019
Salah in New York when we have a game on Friday?? ????
— Lou Lou (@LilLoubieLou) 23 April 2019
Some speculated that Salah might miss the Huddersfield game in order to rest up for next week's Champions League semifinal clash with Barcelona.
I reckon Mo Salah might start from the bench on Friday given he was in New York last night.
— Mike (@MikeMongie) 24 April 2019
Salah eating pizza in New York
Either he'll have the extra energy to score a hatrick against Huddersfield, or he'll be rested for CL ??#FPL #GW36 #LIVHUD pic.twitter.com/0vvmxFkUEN
— Bøwstring the Carp (@MattKearney92) 23 April 2019
It turned out that Salah was actually in the Big Apple to attend the Time 100 Gala after recently being named one of the world's most influential people by the US magazine.
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I'm honoured to have made the #Time100 list for 2019. Always ready to help make the world a better place ?
The Egyptian rubbed shoulders with Hollywood A-Listers, political figures and various other celebrities at the Lincoln Center, with Taylor Swift also performing an acoustic set at the star-studded bash.
Mo Salah arrives at the Time 100 awards in New York.
Jimmy Fallon, Rami Malek and even Emilia Clarke, better known as the Mother of Dragons (or Daenerys Targaryen), snapped up the chance to meet the Premier League's joint-top goal scorer.
Mo Salah and Emilia Clarke poses for pictures at the Time awards.
Indeed, it all proved too much for ESPN host Katie Nolan (a huge Liverpool fan) who came perilously close to losing her marbles at the sight of Salah showing up in her vicinity.
like.... lower east side rome? or midtown rome? just give me a neighborhood
— Katie Nolan (@katienolan) 23 April 2019
BACK UP LFCNY
— Katie Nolan (@katienolan) 23 April 2019
USWNT star Alex Morgan shared an Instagram story of her meeting with Salah on the red carpet.
Nolan obviously saw this and desperately attempted to have Morgan pass a message on.
@alexmorgan13 did u tell mo I said hi it's ok if you forgot
— Katie Nolan (@katienolan) 24 April 2019
For the record, Salah wasn't the only Liverpool player granted special leave this week, with Georginio Wijnaldum flying out to Lyon for a catch-up with his old Dutch teammate Memphis Depay.
Alberto Moreno, on the other hand, enjoyed a nice day out at Chester Zoo.
Source: espn.co.uk