When the new Premier League fixtures come out, it should be a time of excitement for all clubs, their staff, players and supporters, however, in Liverpool’s case, the knowledge that Mo Salah is likely to miss two of their most important games of the season isn’t likely to put a smile on Jurgen Klopp’s face.
The African Cup of Nations is a tournament that takes place slap bang in the middle of the English top-flight season, and if players want to represent their country at it, their clubs have little choice but to accede to those requests.
The 2023 edition of the AFCON will actually take place in January 2024 according to CAF Online, with the first match scheduled to be played on January 13 and the final taking place on February 11.
If Salah’s Egypt side get into the business end of the campaign which isn’t beyond the realms of possibility, he will miss the Premier League fixtures against Bournemouth, Chelsea, Arsenal and Burnley, according to the Premier League fixture list via Liverpool’s official website.
With the greatest respect to both Bournemouth and Burnley, the Reds should be able to cope with Salah’s absence in those two games, but it’s sure to be a different story in the other two games.
That’s not to mention that the early rounds of the FA Cup and and both legs of the EFL Cup semi-final are also scheduled to take place during this period.
If Liverpool are still in the latter competition at that point, they’ll have to make do without Salah for what could be the Reds first attempt at silverware in 2023/24.