Without Egyptian king Salah, Klopp and Liverpool will have a difficult January.

The leaders of the league will be without their key player, Mohamed Salah, due to the Africa Cup of Nations. Liverpool’s hope now rests on other players like Diogo Jota to step up in Salah’s absence. Jürgen Klopp expressed concern about Salah’s departure and its potential impact on their title race, acknowledging the challenge of filling Salah’s shoes given his consistent goal-scoring record for Liverpool. Klopp mentioned how Liverpool coped well during Salah’s previous absence in 2022 but acknowledged the difficulty in finding a direct replacement for Salah’s impact. He denied having a specific long-term plan for Salah’s absence, preferring to rely on a flexible approach with various players filling in when needed. Klopp highlighted Diogo Jota’s return from injury as a timely boost but acknowledged the ambitious task of expecting anyone to match Salah’s influence from the right wing. Despite some suggesting a decline in Salah’s influence, his goal-scoring record this season remains significantly higher than other players until Jota’s recent goals. Klopp emphasized the uncertainty around planning for Salah’s absence and expressed hope for finding solutions as the situation unfolds. In the past, during the 2021-22 season, Jota had stepped up in Salah’s absence, showcasing his reliability and goal-scoring ability, ending the season with an impressive tally. Klopp praised Jota’s football intelligence but noted he has faced criticism from some Liverpool fans, yet there’s hope he will perform well once more.