Mohamed Salah could miss as many as seven games next season due to the Africa Cup of Nations.
AFCON is scheduled between December 21 and January 18, during which time Liverpool have six fixtures, with a trip to Tottenham the day before it begins.
Last time Egypt only made it as far as the last 16 but Salah sustained a hamstring injury at the tournament which kept him out until February 13, 2024.
That meant he missed additional fixtures against Chelsea, Arsenal, and Burnley, with the Reds losing their Gunners assignment 3-1.
This time, provided Egypt reach the final, Salah will miss league games against Tottenham, Wolves, Leeds, Fulham, Arsenal, and Burnley, as well as an FA Cup third-round tie.
Even if Egypt crash out in the group stages – an unlikely scenario given they are one of the favourites – he would miss the first three games.
The timing of AFCON and attitudes towards the tournament are often an uncomfortable subject for players, who feel pressured to devalue their international duties.
Andre Onana missed the first game of the 2023-24 tournament because he agreed to play an extra game for Manchester United and experienced travel disruption.
Meanwhile, Salah faced criticism from within Egypt after suffering a hamstring injury for them and flying back to Liverpool for treatment.
Egypt’s legendary former midfielder Ahmed Hassan claimed Salah should have stayed to support his team-mates, but the superstar’s agent insisted treatment in Liverpool was the best route and that ‘influencers’ were piling on for clout.
Liverpool fans may be particularly concerned about how they could fare against Arsenal given their close encounters last season.
The pair drew 2-2 twice in the league, with Salah scoring a late equaliser in the first match at the Emirates.
Liverpool have not fared terribly while missing players due to AFCON before.
They missed Salah and Sadio Mane in the 2021-22 season for six games, but went undefeated during this period as Senegal reached the final to beat Egypt.
Salah, 33, retains a burning ambition to win AFCON after heartbreak in the final in 2017 and 2021.
Last year he said: ‘I would love to win it [AFCON], absolutely I would love to win it. I just said I want everything possible but this one still not yet, it will happen somehow that’s what I believe. Whatever I believe, I achieve, so it will happen. Sooner or later, it will happen.’
