Mohamed Salah offered the Anfield faithful the best parting gift he could during Monday’s Premier League battle with Newcastle United, which could prove to be his last game in the Liverpool strip for over a month.
Bagging two goals while also setting up one more – making amends for a first-half penalty miss in that 4-2 victory – Salah now takes a hiatus from his exceptional start to domestic proceedings to try to help Egypt achieve Africa Cup of Nations glory.
The 31-year-old will soon be jetting off to the Ivory Coast to compete in his fourth AFCON tournament, having previously helped Egypt reach the finals of the 2017 and 2022 editions, both of which ended in heartbreak.
As Salah bids to make it fourth time lucky on the continent, Sports Mole takes a look at which Liverpool games the winger is set to miss in the coming weeks.
While Egypt’s first AFCON showdown does not take place until January 14 – the Pharaohs have been drawn in Group B alongside Ghana, Cape Verde and Mozambique – the 2022 finalists will warm up for the competition with a friendly battle against Tanzania this weekend.
As a result, Salah will be absent for Liverpool’s opening FA Cup third-round tie – a tantalising battle with Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday – which comes three days before Jurgen Klopp’s men host Fulham in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final.
Egypt’s group-stage run sees the Pharaohs tackle Mozambique on January 14, four days before a meeting with Ghana – who will expect to go head-to-head with Salah’s nation for first place – and they will round off their opening phase against Cape Verde on January 22.
One day before Egypt take on the latter nation, Liverpool are in Premier League action away to an improving Bournemouth side, and January 24 sees the Merseyside giants head to Craven Cottage to battle Fulham in the decisive second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final showdown.
Egypt’s dreams of AFCON glory may have been dashed by January 24, and the Pharaohs’ possible failure to advance to the knockout rounds could see Salah eligible to make his Liverpool return on January 31, when the Reds play host to Chelsea in the Premier League.
However, it would be a shock to see the seven-time winners fall at the first hurdle, and should they also reach the quarter-finals – which take place on February 2 and February 3 – Salah would miss another crunch clash Premier League with Arsenal on February 4.
The AFCON semi-finals are scheduled for February 7, three days before Liverpool host Burnley in the top flight, and with the losers of those ties guaranteed to play one more match in the third-placed playoff, Salah would not be available to face the Clarets either.
After the destiny of the bronze medal is decided on February 10, the AFCON winners will be crowned in the final on February 11, which comes a full six days before Liverpool head to Brentford for a Premier League lunchtime fixture, one which should mark Salah’s latest possible return date
