Which Liverpool games will Mohamed Salah miss for AFCON 2023?

Mohamed Salah's mid-season absence for Liverpool is here.

The Reds' number 11 is starring for Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations, which runs between January and February of 2024.

Despite taking place this year, the tournament is keeping its official AFCON 2023 title – having been delayed from last year.

As captain of Egypt, Salah is as crucial for his country as he is for Liverpool. The 31-year-old forward has an impressive 56 goals in 97 caps and helped Egypt qualify for their first World Cup in 28 years back in 2018.

However, Salah has so far failed to win silverware at international level – finishing as a runner up at AFCON in 2017 and 2021. In the latter tournament, the two-time African footballer of the year lost the final on penalties to Sadio Mane's Senegal.

Salah will have another shot at glory in Ivory Coast at the start of 2024. However, it will come at a cost to Liverpool who will be without their star forward for several weeks.

The former Roma star has started the 2023/24 campaign in sensational fashion, despite continued speculation over his long-term future.

Jurgen Klopp has joked about hoping for an early exit for his star forward – but how many games (and which ones) is Salah likely to miss for Liverpool?

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How many games will Salah miss for Liverpool due to AFCON?

With AFCON 2023 running from 13 January to 11 February, Salah could miss up to eight games for Liverpool in total.

After beating on Newcastle on New Year's Day, Liverpool don't face another Premier League game until 21 January – a convenience for Salah's absence. However, with the AFCON group stage concluding against Cape Verde on 22 January, Salah will definitely miss at least one Premier League game for Liverpool – the trip to Bournemouth on 21 January.

The second leg of the League Cup semi against Fulham follows ion 24 January, while Liverpool's next league fixture after that is at home to Chelsea on 31 January.

The only way Salah will be available to face his old club is if Egypt do not advance past the group stages, with the round of 16 games taking place between 27 January and 30 January.

The Reds then play Arsenal away on 3 February (the latest possible date of the quarter final stage) and Burnley at home on 10 February (the date of the AFCON final).

In addition, Liverpool also have an FA Cup fourth-round tie against Norwich to play on 28 January.

AFCON 2023 schedule:

• Group stage – 13-24 January

• Round of 16 – 27-30 January

• Quarter-finals – 2-7 February

• Semi-finals – 7 February

• Final – 10 February

The games Salah could miss (January & February):

• Arsenal (a) – 7 January
• Fulham (h) – 10 January
• Bournemouth (a) – 21 January
• Fulham (a) – 24 January
• Norwich (h) – 28 January
• Chelsea (h) – 31 January
• Arsenal (a) – 3 February
• Burnley (h) – 10 February