Mohamed Salah is enjoying an eye-catching Africa Cup of Nations with the Liverpool forward being unleashed in a different position for Egypt
Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring the third goal for Egypt during the match between Egypt vs Benin in the African Cup of Nations 2025 round of 16
Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring the third goal for Egypt during the match between Egypt vs Benin in the African Cup of Nations 2025 round of 16
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Liverpool look set to be without Mohamed Salah for at least two more matches after he helped fire Egypt through to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals. The 33-year-old scored in the final minute of extra-time against Benin with an eye-catching trivela shot from distance to wrap up a 3-1 win for the Pharaohs.
Egypt will now face either defending champions Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso in the quarter-finals in Agadir on January 10.
As a result, he will definitely miss the Reds’ trip to Arsenal on January 8, and will likely also be unavailable for Liverpool’s FA Cup clash with Barnsley at Anfield on January 12.
Should Egypt progress to the semi-finals, where they would face either Mali or Senegal in Tangier on January 14, then Salah will remain at the tournament in Morocco until its conclusion, with AFCON having a third-place play-off in Casablanca on January 17 prior to the final in Rabat on January 18.
Consequently, the forward could still also miss Liverpool’s clash with Burnley on January 17, while a possible victory homecoming should Egypt win the AFCON would also put his involvement against Marseille on January 21 in doubt.
While Salah has endured a below-par campaign with the Reds to date, culminating with him benched and his public clash with head coach Arne Slot following his comments in the mixed zone after Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United last month, the Egypt captain is enjoying an international tournament to remember.
His goal against Benin was his 10th career strike for Egypt in total at the Africa Cup of Nations, and his third at this season’s edition of the tournament - having scored in all three of his appearances in Morocco to date. Only Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz has netted more in the race for the Golden Boot.
Meanwhile, the interest of those of a Liverpool persuasion following Salah’s AFCON exploits will also be piqued further by the potential prospect of him having to face off against his former team-mate Sadio Mane for a place in the Cup of Nations final - especially as it was Senegal who defeated Egypt in their last final appearance back in 2022.
Salah would actually downplay Egypt’s chances of winning AFCON after his starring role against Benin, claiming he did not consider them one of the favourites to be crowned continental champions.
“I don’t think we are favourites at all,” he said. “There are no easy games in Africa. The level is quite similar.
“We have young players, most play in Egypt. We just fight for our country and we will see where we can go. Everyone gives their best and you can see [that] today.
“I don’t think when I was [growing up] I was dreaming to play at that level. To be able to play with such good players and this level is an honour.”
Admittedly, his pessimism is perhaps understandable. Egypt would likely have to get the better of the last two AFCON champions in Ivory Coast and Senegal if they were to reach this year’s final.
And even if they managed that, Morocco, Cameroon, Nigeria or, in all likelihood, Algeria, would await in the showpiece in Rabat.
Regardless, with the remainder of the tournament only overlapping with one more Premier League match now that Salah’s involvement against Arsenal has been definitively ruled out, it would perhaps be in Liverpool’s interest for the star's AFCON campaign to last as long as possible.
While he has scored three goals from three outings in Morocco with Egypt, and six goals from six competitive international appearances during the 2025/26 season to date, his Reds return is uncharacteristically more modest.
In contrast, he boasts five goals and four assists from 20 appearances for Liverpool and was benched by Slot for four games prior to his AFCON departure.
While he has been the Reds’ undisputed first-choice right-winger throughout his entire Anfield career, his role also came under question as a result with Liverpool putting together a nine-game unbeaten run since Salah was first benched with Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong turned to on the flank instead.
So it is perhaps somewhat interesting to see that he has been used in different positions by Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan at AFCON, with the Pharaohs lining up in four different formations in each of their four matches to date.
Salah scored a last-minute winner in Egypt’s opening game against Zimbabwe from his traditional right-wing position as they lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
But for victories over South Africa and Benin, the veteran was instead utilised upfront alongside Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush as Egypt lined up in 5-3-2 and 3-5-2 systems, having also used a 3-1-4-2 set-up when making wholesale changes for their 0-0 draw with Angola in their final group game.
Speaking ahead of facing Benin, Hassan praised the versatility of his players as he revealed that he had been training Salah to play in a number of different roles.
“With the available squad, I tend to choose players who can play in more than one position,” he said. “A player like Trezeguet who can play as a winger or a defender or as number eight or ten.
“Salah has the ability and I am training him to play in different positions as well. As you know, Omar Marmoush plays in different positions at Manchester City, both in attack and as number 10 or winger.
“I don’t have any issues as my squad can play many roles.”
Having been utilised upfront by Egypt, it will be interesting to see if Slot could be tempted to use Salah in such a role when he returns to Liverpool.
The Reds are already short in attack after losing Alexander Isak to a fractured leg, and cannot expect Hugo Ekitike to start every game in the interim.
If Slot persists with favouring defensive solidity by using Szoboszlai or Frimpong out wide, it would open the door to including Salah in a more central position.
The Egyptian played upfront on occasions for Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp, with Transfermarkt crediting him with a record of 28 goals and seven assists from 33 outings in a central attacking position.
Admittedly the majority of them would have come as a lone striker, with Klopp using such a set-up most frequently in the 2018/19 season when Roberto Firmino or Xherdan Shaqiri would line up behind him at number 10, with the Swiss playmaker also capable of being stationed on the right-flank.
Such a tactic could be replicated now when Slot wishes to rest Ekitike’s legs. Or the pair could be fielded upfront together if the Dutchman wishes to tweak formation, having already partnered the Frenchman alongside Isak on occasions this season.
Either way, Salah is seemingly finding form while away at AFCON. And with his last two appearances coming upfront, it could give Slot something to think about ahead of the forward’s return to Liverpool later this month.