Arne Slot has confirmed that Mohamed Salah will travel to the Africa Cup of Nations on or before December 15, though the Liverpool forward will remain available for the club’s Premier League fixture against Brighton on Saturday, December 13.
With Salah set to represent Egypt at the tournament, Slot admitted Liverpool must now begin preparing for a significant period without one of their most high-profile players.
“It [the deadline] is the 15th of December. As always there is the nation involved, the player involved and the club. There are always talks about what is the best for all three of us,” Slot said.
“We have to find a way to play without him as he’ll not be here. That’s true.”
Before his departure, Salah is expected to remain involved in Liverpool’s domestic campaign, with the Reds in action on Wednesday night against Sunderland, live on Sky Sports.
Slot also addressed Salah’s reaction after the forward was named on the bench for Liverpool’s contest against West Ham on Sunday - a rare decision for a player of his status.
“It was a normal reaction for a player who is good enough to play for us - and I say that mildly as he’s been so outstanding for this club and will be in the future,” Slot said. “He wasn’t happy he wasn’t starting but he wasn’t the only one.”
Despite that disappointment, Slot praised the way Salah conducted himself around the squad.
“But the way he behaved was as you’d expect from such a professional: he supported his teammates and handled himself really well,” he added.
Slot also highlighted Salah’s discipline and mentality regardless of selection.
“You can’t be a player that has to play every three days to a high standard but he’s so disciplined and knows what to do to stay fit. Whether he plays well, doesn’t play well, plays or doesn’t play, he’ll always be that top professional.”
Slot: Question marks over the fitness of Wirtz, Gomez and Isak
Slot said Liverpool’s team news for the clash with Sunderland will depend on how several players come through training, with Florian Wirtz, Joe Gomez and Alexander Isak all being assessed ahead of the game after recent fitness concerns.
"Let's see how players feel after training today. Wirtz has missed almost two weeks of training so for him to play minutes is a good thing but let's see. Joe Gomez also," he said.
"It was encouraging to see Wirtz play so well. It maybe the first time for other people but I've seen him play very well for us already. It was great for Alex {Isak] to score his first goal but he couldn't play anymore minutes as he was telling me he was feeling a bit of cramp. So it's another player to see how he does when he trains today.
"They can't play three full 90 minutes in a week but all three can be involved if they don't get an injury."
Russey
0
Tsk look these players have some the best physios and facilities in the world of sports. They have performance coaches, dietician’s, personal chefs. They have the world of pampering at their disposal daily. I don’t want to hear any nonsense about they can’t play three games without fitness or injury concerns. Players like 35 year old vvd and Salah go seasons without ever seeing the treatment room, how those players can’t go three damn games.
AFerXqsJ4187
0
Let him f€€€k off… playing poorly and expects the team to relegate because of his past achievements.
Zere8
0
we can win without salah, time to drop him
princehans671
3
he has not been in good form lately, hope he improves after afcon
wepabltuy
2
Let's see how this idiot will set the lineups without him. Poor performance against West without Salah. More to come with his Kerkez and right back experiments.
Loydeknpy
4
hi