Concerns over Mohamed Salah's Egypt bowing out early in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations have been heightened, following a supercomputer's prediction of a surprising, premature exit. Salah has joined his national team ahead of Egypt's first match against Zimbabwe next week, with the tournament concluding with the final on January 18.
However, a startling new projection from experts suggests he could be back in action for the Reds when they take on Arsenal on January 8. This is based on a supercomputer's forecast, which predicts that Egypt will suffer a shock defeat to Comoros in the last 16. At one point, it seemed that the Reds' superstar might not return to Merseyside from the tournament being held in Morocco.
The 33-year-old voiced his discontent with the club and Arne Slot in an unexpected post-match interview after failing to make it off the bench against Leeds.
As a result, Salah was absent from Liverpool's next matchday squad against Inter Milan but quickly returned to the fold, coming on as a substitute during the victory over Brighton.
Liverpool's third-highest goal scorer will miss several matches over the festive period as the Merseyside club faces Tottenham and Wolves to round off December. Meanwhile, Salah will be preparing to take on Zimbabwe, Angola and South Africa.
However, according to bookmakers Cameroun.com's supercomputer, Salah's stint in Morocco may not last much longer.
They predict Egypt will be upset by underdogs Comoros in a 1-0 defeat.
The last 16 matches are scheduled to take place from Saturday, January 3 to Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Liverpool will face Arsenal in the Premier League on January 8.
Salah's return for the trip to north London is likely to be too soon, leaving Slot with a decision to make. If they exit at the first knockout stage, Salah could potentially be back in time for the FA Cup clash against Barnsley on January 12.
Salah was notably absent from Egypt's warm-up match against Nigeria. The Pharaohs' skipper was not included in the squad as Egypt secured a 2-1 victory, having only arrived in the early hours of Tuesday morning alongside Manchester City star Omar Marmoush.
Meanwhile, the supercomputer predicts that tournament hosts Morocco will triumph. It forecasts a 1-0 victory over Senegal in the final.
Senegal are expected to secure their runners-up spot after defeating defending champions Ivory Coast with a resounding 3-0 win in the semi-finals. Morocco's encounter with Uganda is predicted to be a closer affair, ending in a 1-0 victory.
The third-place match between Uganda and the Ivory Coast is anticipated to be decided by penalties, with the Cranes coming out on top.