Liverpool will be without Mohamed Salah for some very key games.
Every two years, the Reds have to work out how they will cope without Salah when he goes to AFCON, but this year might be a little easier.
The Egyptian has not quite been himself at the start of the season, with his tally of just four Premier League goals proving exactly that.
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Is this the beginning of the end for Salah?
Mohamed Salah looks dejected during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah after 13 Premier League games 24/25:
11 goals
7 assists
Mohamed Salah after 13 Premier League games 25/26:
4 goals
2 assists
That does not mean he is not still a key player, though, and he will still be important for Liverpool for the rest of the season, he will just be unavailable for most of December and the start of the new year.
There had been some debate around the exact date Salah would leave for the competition, making it unclear which games he will miss, but Arne Slot has now confirmed exactly when he will leave.
Mohamed Salah will go to AFCON on December 15th
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool looks on during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield
Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images
Egypt have a friendly on the 14th December, just one day after Liverpool take on Brighton, and they were hoping to have Salah available for it.
However, it has now been confirmed that he will miss that game as he will not fly out until the following day, with Slot clarifying this in his press conference ahead of Liverpool’s game against Sunderland.
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“Salah will go to AFCON on December 15th,” he simply said in his press conference, giving Reds fans a clear answer.
This means he will be available for Liverpool’s next four fixtures, with his final game before travelling being against the Seagulls.
The Reds have Sunderland, Leeds and Inter Milan before that one, meaning he still has a big role to play, although he might miss some key fixtures during the period he is away.
Which games will Mohamed Salah miss for Liverpool?
AFCON gets underway on December 21st, with Egypt’s first match being against Zimbabwe on the 22nd.
As they are guaranteed to play three games due to it being the group stage, Salah will certainly miss Liverpool’s games against Tottenham and Wolves, but an early exit could see him return for Leeds on New Year’s Day.
Do you think the media’s reaction to Mo Salah’s snub is justified after Liverpool finally won a game?
“Salah can’t complain because he hasn’t been playing well,
and when that’s the case, then you have to accept the decision. It has worked for Liverpool… and it has worked
for Isak too, because he was the difference today.”
Alan Shearer
“He [Szoboszlai] wasn’t standing wide the way Mo [Salah] does and just stands there
waiting for the ball, he’s getting involved, he’s getting back inside, helping
his full-back. The whole shape defensively was miles better, they’re not going
to get better if they just all of a sudden go back to what they’re doing and
teams start streaming through them again.”
Steve Nicol
“Slot
made call to drop Salah, Liverpool won, so should be lauded for it. Easier to
not do anything controversial, but worked out well for them.”
Kieran Maguire
If they make it all the way to the final, though, which is a strong possibility, he could miss up to seven matches, with the competition not ending until 18th January.
This would see him miss the matches against Fulham, Arsenal and Burnley as well, and perhaps even more afterwards given that he will need recovery time.
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