Despite the playful banter from Jurgen Klopp, there’s a tangible concern regarding Mohamed Salah’s potential absence from Liverpool matches. If Egypt replicates their performance from two years ago and reaches the AFCON final, Salah could miss up to eight crucial games for his club.

At 31, Salah continues to display remarkable goal-scoring prowess, concluding the first half of the season with a two-goal performance against Newcastle United. The perennial top scorer for Liverpool is maintaining an impressive record, averaging a goal or assist every 79 minutes in the top-flight this season. Klopp’s teasing might have a basis in reality, and Liverpool fans are left contemplating the impact of Salah’s potential absence on the team’s fortunes.