Mohamed Salah is set to fly to Ivory Coast to represent Egypt in the African Cup of Nations, missing potentially crucial Liverpool matches in the process.

Salah was unquestionably the best player in the Premier League during the first half of the season. The 31-year-old has 14 goals and eight assists in 20 Premier League games for Liverpool, as well as three goals in the Europa League.

Liverpool has risen to the top of the Premier League standings thanks to the Egyptian’s remarkable performance. Liverpool would hardly want to lose Salah for an extended period of time, but Jurgen Klopp will need to devise a winning formula without his star winger in order to maintain that position in the coming weeks as he represents Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Salah will not play in the FA Cup third round match against Arsenal on January 7, according to an official statement released by the club on Friday.

“Mohamed Salah will join Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations following Liverpool’s match against Newcastle United,” according to the press release.

“On Monday night, the Reds host the Magpies at Anfield in their first game of 2024.” Salah is available to play in that game before flying to Ivory Coast for the next African Cup of Nations.”

The number of Liverpool games Salah will miss will be determined by Egypt’s campaign result.

The African Cup of Nations (AFCON) will get off on January 14 in Ivory Coast, with Egypt facing Mozambique in Group B on the same day. They will play Ghana on January 18, followed by a match against Cape Verde on January 22.

That means the talismanic winger will miss at least three Liverpool games, with the possibility of returning for the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final against Fulham on Wednesday, January 24, but he will most likely miss a lot more.

Salah should help the three-time AFCON champions get through the group stages, and their last 16 encounter will be played on January 28 or 29, depending on where they finish in Group B.

Salah will miss the Reds’ EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Fulham, a possible FA Cup fourth-round fixture, and maybe Liverpool’s Premier League match against Chelsea if Egypt is eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations in the round of 16.

If Egypt is knocked out in the quarter-finals, which will be played on February 2 and 3, Salah will almost certainly be unavailable for Liverpool’s crucial Premier League away match against title rivals Arsenal.

If Egypt is eliminated in the semi-finals on February 7, Salah would miss Liverpool’s encounter against Burnley at Anfield on February 10 due to his participation in the third-place play-off on the same day.

If Salah’s Egypt progresses to the AFCON final, which will be held on February 11 at the Olympic Stadium in Ebimpe, he might miss up to eight Liverpool games.