Jurgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool, remains unwavering in his belief that his team can sustain their Premier League title push despite the imminent departure of Mohamed Salah for the African Cup of Nations.
Following Monday’s Premier League clash against Newcastle, Salah will join Egypt for the African tournament, leaving a significant void in Liverpool’s lineup.
The Reds, currently leading the Premier League standings by two points ahead of Arsenal, are pursuing their first league title since 2020. With crucial fixtures against Arsenal in the FA Cup third round and a League Cup semi-final against Fulham scheduled in January, Salah’s absence poses a challenging situation for Klopp and his team.
“Although losing our top scorer is a setback, we’ve faced similar challenges in the past when Sadio (Mane) and Mo left,” Klopp addressed reporters on Friday. “We’ve coped before, even when one of them progressed far into the tournament, making it more difficult for us.”
Adding to the absence of Salah, Klopp revealed the unavailability of Japan midfielder Wataru Endo due to the Asia Cup concurrently with Salah’s departure.
“We anticipated Salah’s participation in the Africa Cup of Nations and Endo’s role in the Asia Cup. It’s the situation as it is. We’ll handle it and adapt,” Klopp affirmed.