As he gets ready for a critical run of games without his top scorer, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp joked on Friday that he is not wishing Mohamed Salah too much luck at the Africa Cup of Nations.
While Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, will be competing in the Asian Cup in Qatar, Salah is traveling with Egypt for the tournament in the Ivory Coast. Both players are predicted to advance far in their respective competitions.
They may return the second week of February, but Klopp stated he didn't wish them too much luck when he sent them off this week.
"I said if I wish you good luck it would be a lie," Klopp said ahead of Liverpool's FA Cup third-round tie at Arsenal on Sunday.
Did you read this?
"I would be happy if they went out on the group stage, but that's impossible. They can go on and win it.
"So it was 'Good luck and came back healthy.' We have to deal with it and we will deal with it. I am confident that we will find a way.
With 18 goals this season across all competitions, Salah plays on the right side of Klopp's attack, and the manager does not have a good substitute for him.
Dominik Szoboszlai, a midfielder, was mentioned as a possible option. Still, his hamstring injury from the victory over Newcastle on New Year's Day has kept him out of action for at least two games.
However, Klopp, whose team leads the Premier League, is optimistic that Liverpool can cover Salah's void.
"I think we played against West Ham (in last month's League Cup quarter-final) without Mo on that side and Harvey Elliott played there," he said.
"We have different offensive options who can all play that wing differently. Nobody else can play like Mo; it is impossible -- we have to use the boys with their skills.
"Do we want to play without Mo? No. We didn't have to do it often in the past, but we always found a way.
"But we play Arsenal, and you can lose to Arsenal with Mo Salah, so it's possible to lose to them without him."
Even though there are fewer Premier League games in January because of a mid-season player break, Klopp stated he was prepared for a difficult month.
Two weeks have passed since the title-chasing teams drew 1-1 at Anfield in the Premier League. Liverpool's match at the Emirates will be followed on Wednesday by the first leg of their League Cup semi-final against Fulham.
"Some teams don't play that often in January," he said. "We don't have that; we have now, with the semi-final, we have a proper rhythm.
"I think a re-match against Arsenal would really not be helpful, that's how it is, because it just doesn't fit in, would kill the winter break, stuff like this."
