Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has admitted none of his players can replicate Mohamed Salah’s impact on the right wing. The coach, however, is confident that his team are capable of coping without their undisputed talisman.
Mohamed Salah Could Miss Up To 7 Games For Liverpool
Liverpool ace Salah has been in breathtaking form this season. Playing 27 games in all competitions, the Egypt international has scored 18 times and provided nine assists. Of his 18 strikes, 14 have come in the Premier League, which has allowed him to go level with Manchester City goalmachine Erling Haaland at the top of the Golden Boot rankings.
Salah, who scored a brace and bagged an assist in the Reds’ 4-2 win over Newcastle United on January 1, has been Liverpool’s standout performer of the season. Unfortunately for the Premier League leaders, he has been called up to his national team for the African Cup of Nations.
The tournament will take place in Ivory Coast between January 14 and February 11, meaning Salah could miss five weeks of soccer if Egypt make it all the way to the final. In that stretch, Liverpool will play seven matches, which could make or break their season.
Klopp Vouches To Cope Without Salah
The Merseysiders’ first test will be this Sunday (January 7) when they take on Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup. At a pre-match press conference, Klopp conceded Salah was irreplaceable and admitted he would make some tweaks to make the team function without the 31-year-old.
The German tactician said (via The Mirror):
“I think we played against West Ham with Harvey there and we have different defensive options. Other players can play on the wing but maybe not like Mo, it’s not possible. We use the boys and their skills and that is the idea behind it. Do we want to play without Mo? No.
“But we will find a way. Of course we play Arsenal and we can lose with Mo Salah – but at the moment we have a chance to win the game, so we think about that.”
Since joining the Anfield outfit in 2017, Salah has played 332 matches in all competitions, scoring 204 times and providing 88 assists. With the brace against Newcastle on January 1, he became only the fifth player in history to score over 150 Premier League goals for a single club.
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