29 December 2023 , 17:16
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Jurgen Klopp insists he has a "solution" to Mohamed Salah's absence, but hopes that remains in tact after playing Newcastle on New Year's Day.
The Liverpool boss is preparing for his leading marksman depart to represent Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations. Salah could be absent for over a month should his nation go all the way in the tournament as they seek a first success since 2010.
Klopp is by no means short of attacking options with Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo all on the books on Merseyside. They will face Arsenal and Chelsea during the time Salah is absent but the German has not given too much thought to who could fill in for Salah amid fears over other unavailability.
He told reporters: "Each long-term plan I could have had depends massively on who is available. So why should I think in October who I can use when Mo is away, when I have no clue who is available?
"We have solutions today and I hope we have that after Newcastle as well. It is not the first time, it is a really very average situation that you lose your goal scorer. But we had it even worse in the past when both Sadio [Mane] and Mo left. We always came through it. Traditionally at least one of them went far in the tournament at least, which makes it even worse."
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Salah is not the only player jetting off to represent his country. Summer signing Wataru Endo, who has become increasingly influential in midfield, will go to the Asia Cup with Japan leaving Klopp with a selection headache in the middle of the park.
Mo Salah will be unavailable for up to a month whilst he plays for Egypt"We have to get through this," said the Liverpool boss. "We know the Africa Cup of Nations appears and Mo has to go, and so we have to deal with it, that was always clear. Now with Endo we have a participant of the Asian Cup as well. We knew it and now we have to deal with it, and we will."
Liverpool currently sit top of the Premier League ahead of their clash with the Magpies on New Year's Day. An FA Cup third round tie against Arsenal is set to be Salah and Endo's final match before they head off to their respective nations.