Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp shared a light-hearted moment on Friday, expressing jest about Mohamed Salah’s fortune at the Africa Cup of Nations as the team faces a crucial period without its star scorer. Salah is representing Egypt in the tournament in Ivory Coast, and Klopp, ahead of Liverpool’s FA Cup third-round clash with Arsenal, admitted he didn’t wish too much luck to Salah, who is expected to be away until the second week of February.
Klopp quipped, “I said if I wish you good luck, it would be a lie. From a personal point of view, I would be happy if they go out in the group stage, but that’s probably not possible. They can go on and win it. So it was ‘Good luck and come back healthy.’ We have to deal with it, and we will deal with it. I am pretty positive that we will find a way.”
Acknowledging the absence of a direct replacement for Salah, Klopp mentioned the versatility within the squad and expressed confidence in other offensive options. Despite the challenge, Klopp remains optimistic about Liverpool’s ability to navigate through the upcoming matches.
“Do we want to play without Mo? No. In the past, we didn’t have to do it often, but we always found a way,” Klopp stated. Liverpool is currently at the top of the Premier League table, facing Arsenal in the FA Cup third-round and gearing up for the League Cup semi-final against Fulham.
Klopp anticipates a challenging January with fewer Premier League games due to a mid-season player break. Reflecting on the tight schedule, he commented, “Some teams obviously don’t play that often in January. We don’t have that; we have now with the semi-final, we have a proper rhythm.”
