Mohamed Elneny will be fit for the World Cup according to Egypt’s assistant coach, Mohamed Fayez.

Elneny was taken off at the weekend in what seemed to be considerable pain. With his shirt pulled over his face to hide his tears, it looked as if his season and World Cup dreams were dead.

But speaking after the match, Arsenal confirmed that the injury was not as bad as first feared. It is even hoped that he could be back before the end of the season.

This is Arsenal, however, and we know that the ubiquitous ‘three week’ layoff can often morph into three months or more. When we can get outside confirmation of the time a player will be sidelined, that helps a lot.

“I have just contacted Elneny after running scans. Thank God, his injury is minor and will sideline him for only three weeks… He will be in the World Cup,” Fayz wrote on Facebook.

Elneny himself tweeted:

https://twitter.com/ElNennY/status/988423383544188928

Elneny was an ever-present in Egypt’s World Cup qualifying campaign, helping them top their group.

The Pharaohs will be at the tournament for the first time in 28 years.