Joe Cole believes Chiesa deserves a run in the team with Mo Salah now missing

Former Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole believes Federico Chiesa deserves a run in the team with Mohamed Salah now missing.

Arne Slot has been urged to give Federico Chiesa a run in the Liverpool team in place of the absent Mohamed Salah. But the Egyptian has been backed to finish the season strongly at Anfield after reconciling with the Reds boss following his explosive comments earlier this month.

Salah is presently with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations and scored a dramatic late winner in their group opener against Zimbabwe on Monday.

With the competition running until late January, the 33-year-old could miss up to eight games for a Liverpool team already grappling with a host of absentees including Alexander Isak, who suffered a fractured left leg against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

In the first match without Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai started on the right flank but picked up a booking that means he is suspended for Saturday's visit of rock-bottom Wolves.

And when asked who should now replace Salah, former Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole has singled out a player who hasn't made a Premier League start all season.

"Federico Chiesa probably deserves a run in the team," said Cole. "This might be his opportunity off that right side if he can keep himself fit.

"Every time I see him play he seems like the type of player I’d like to have played with.

"Outside of the current squad, Desire Doue at PSG, another winger who can play either side.

"First things first though you need to sit down with Mo Salah and work out what he wants to do, and whether he’ll be important for you from February onwards."

Liverpool's 2-1 win at Tottenham extended their unbeaten run to six games, none of which Salah has started.

Having remained on the bench for the 3-3 draw at Leeds United earlier this month, the winger claimed he had no relationship with Slot and claimed he was being scapegoated for the Reds' poor form.

Salah was subsequently dropped for the Champions League win at Inter, but held clear-the-air talks with the Liverpool boss before coming off the bench to play the majority of the 2-0 Premier League home win over Brighton before heading to the AFCON.

And Cole, speaking exclusively to Paddy Power, said: "Things can be mended. He needs to go away to AFCON, play and fight for his country, then when he comes back get his head switched on for Liverpool and make a fresh start.

"He seems to have cleared things up with the manager, and I think it’s a good time to have had that little spat, and I have no problems with apologies being made.

"If I’m Arne Slot I want Mo Salah firing on all cylinders. If he’s sat down with him and figured out he still wants to be here, then he needs to help him get his fire back.”