Liverpool supporters will have to wait a little longer before seeing Mohamed Salah back in red. Egypt’s latest win at the Africa Cup of Nations has stretched their tournament run, and with it Salah’s absence. He scored late as Egypt edged past Benin 3-1 after extra time, a goal that mattered not just for the result, but for what it delays back on Merseyside.
The timing is awkward. Liverpool face Arsenal this week, with domestic games stacking up quickly. Salah’s absence has already been felt. Now it lingers. Each extra Egypt fixture pushes his return a little further away, and that is hard to ignore.
SALAH STRIKES AS EGYPT EDGE THROUGH
Egypt did not have an easy path into the quarter-finals. They led late through Marwan Attia, only for Benin to drag the game into extra time with an equaliser in the 83rd minute. The tempo shifted. Space appeared. Nerves followed.
Yasser Ibrahim put Egypt back in front early in extra time with a firm header. From there, the game stretched. Salah stayed patient. When the chance came at the very end, he took it. No rush. No fuss. Just a finish that settled everything.
It was Salah’s tenth goal at AFCON and it sealed the 3-1 win. Egypt now move on to a quarter-final against either Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso on Saturday. Another win would keep them going. It would also mean Liverpool keep waiting.
Egypt reach the AFCON quarter-finals for 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 in 4⃣ attempts 🔥🇪🇬
The Pharaohs progress past the Round of 16 for the first time since 2022 💫 pic.twitter.com/mFZTJZPhsq
— LiveScore (@livescore) January 5, 2026
WHAT IT MEANS FOR LIVERPOOL’S FIXTURE LIST
Salah left for international duty in mid-December. Since then, Liverpool’s schedule has not slowed. He missed the away win at Tottenham. He was absent again against Wolves. Then came a goalless draw with Leeds. A 2-2 draw with Fulham followed.
Now, with Egypt still involved, Salah is set to miss the Arsenal clash, an FA Cup tie with Barnsley, and potentially Burnley as well. Depending on how far Egypt go, his total missed games could rise to seven. That is not a small gap to absorb.
LIVERPOOL’S ATTACK WITHOUT SALAH
Liverpool have tried to cope. At times they have managed. At others, they have looked blunt. Without Salah, the right side lacks its usual threat. Goals have been harder to come by. Patterns feel slower. Opponents defend with more confidence.
There is effort. There is structure. What has been missing is the decisive moment Salah often provides. One run. One finish. One release of pressure. Those margins have mattered more as injuries have mounted elsewhere.
APOLOGY AND BACKGROUND NOISE
Salah’s absence follows a tense spell off the pitch. Last month, he apologised to teammates after an explosive interview in which he criticised Liverpool and manager Arne Slot. He felt scapegoated. The comments caused noise. The apology was brief. Curtis Jones later explained Salah addressed the group and moved on. Slot echoed that sentiment. The dressing room, they said, stayed united. Still, the timing did not help. Liverpool were already struggling for rhythm. Then their most reliable scorer left for AFCON.
INJURIES COMPOUND THE PROBLEM
Liverpool’s problems have not stopped there. Alexander Isak is out for months after suffering a fractured fibula and ankle injury. Hugo Ekitike is also sidelined with a hamstring issue, brought on by an increased workload. Slot admitted the strain had caught up.
Isak’s absence forced Ekitike into more minutes than planned. That load proved too much. His return remains uncertain, even for the Arsenal game. With forwards missing and Salah unavailable, Liverpool’s margin for error is thin.
A WAIT THAT COULD STRETCH FURTHER
Egypt’s progress leaves Liverpool watching from a distance. Every Egypt win delays Salah’s return. Every extra game adds pressure back home. There is no frustration with Salah himself. He is doing his job. The frustration lies in the timing and the knock-on effects. Liverpool need goals. They need leadership. They need someone who changes games. For now, they wait.
AUTHOR’S INSIGHT
This is one of those moments where timing hurts more than form. Mohamed Salah remains decisive, sharp, and committed. Liverpool just cannot access that right now. The longer Egypt stay in the tournament, the more Liverpool’s season feels paused on the edge of something they cannot control.
As featured on Walkon.com