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Liverpool could be without Mohamed Salah for key Arsenal showdown

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That is followed by a tough looking away fixture against Newcastle before welcoming last season’s runners-up Arsenal to Anfield in the final game before the first international break of the 2025/26 campaign.

Although it is the reverse meeting with the Gunners that will be of concern to Liverpool and head coach Arne Slot.

As things currently stand, the Reds are scheduled to travel to north London on January 7, 2026.

However, they might have to make the trip without Salah. This is because the forward could be in action for Egypt at the 2025 [Africa Cup of Nations](/topic/africa-cup-of-nations).

AFCON this year is being held in Morocco from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026. As a result, Liverpool will lose Salah until December 31 at the earliest as that is when the group stage concludes and the best third-placed teams are decided.

Therefore, Salah - assuming he is named in the Egypt squad - is guaranteed to miss league games against Wolves and newly-promoted Leeds.

This scenario would rule Salah out of the game against Fulham at the beginning of 2026, whilst he will miss the Arsenal game should Egypt reach the quarter-final.

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