Mohamed Salah played a pivotal role in Egypt’s progression to the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), scoring in a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Ivory Coast on Saturday evening. This result confirms that the Liverpool forward will miss the upcoming Premier League clash against Burnley.
Egypt’s triumph was marked by an early goal from Omar Marmoush, followed by a second from Rami Rabia, who was assisted by Salah. Although the Ivory Coast managed to pull one back just before halftime, Salah restored Egypt’s two-goal advantage early in the second half. Despite another goal from the opposition’s Guela Doue, Egypt held on to secure their place in the semi-finals.
The semi-final match is set for Wednesday, January 17, at 17:00 UK time, where Egypt will face Senegal, led by Salah’s former teammate, Sadio Mane. A win would see Egypt advance to the final on January 18, but it guarantees that Salah will not be available for Liverpool’s match against Burnley.
Regardless of the semi-final outcome, Salah is expected to be back for Liverpool’s Champions League fixture against Marseille on January 21. Should Egypt win and celebrate, there may be a slight delay in his return, potentially pushing his first match back to the following weekend’s clash against Bournemouth on January 24.
Liverpool will be keen for Salah’s return, especially following a disappointing streak of three consecutive draws. The team managed to secure victories against Tottenham and Wolves earlier in the season, but has struggled in recent fixtures. A goalless draw against Leeds was followed by a frustrating 2-2 stalemate against Fulham, where a late equalizer from Harrison Reed denied them victory. The Reds then faced Arsenal, ending that match in a 0-0 draw.
In light of these recent performances, Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed his concerns over the team’s attacking approach. “I find it really hard to hear but I would not completely disagree,” Slot stated when asked if his team’s style had become dull. He emphasized the importance of winning trophies while also striving for an attractive style of play.
“We have to find a way against teams who play in not an attractive way, which is, of course, maybe even smart for them to do. We have to find answers to that. We haven’t found enough yet, but we are working on that every single day to improve,” Slot added.
As Liverpool prepares for a crucial period with or without Salah, the club remains hopeful that his impactful return will reinvigorate their campaign in both domestic and European competitions.
