Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, expressed shock after learning that Mohamed Salah had suffered a hamstring injury while playing for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations. Salah, known for his impressive fitness record, had missed only ten Premier League matches in six and a half seasons with Liverpool. Klopp is awaiting updates on the extent of Salah’s injury and how long he will be sidelined. Egypt coach Rui Vitoria, however, expressed hope that Salah’s injury was not serious.

Liverpool will wait for further updates before deciding whether to send their medical staff to the Ivory Coast to check on Salah. Klopp stated that it depended on the diagnosis and Egypt’s plans. While Liverpool didn’t expect Salah to return until early February, a long-term injury would be a significant setback as they pursue the Premier League title, as well as competing in the FA Cup, League Cup, and Europa League.

Liverpool will face Bournemouth without several key players due to a combination of injuries and international commitments. Klopp mentioned that Salah, Wataru Endo, Kostas Tsimikas, Andrew Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Stefan Bajcetic were all unavailable for the upcoming game. However, Klopp remained optimistic about their progress and hoped some of them would be able to participate in team training next week, although they wouldn’t be ready for the Bournemouth game.

The Reds currently hold a 2-1 lead from their previous encounter against Fulham at Anfield. Klopp added that despite the absence of key players, the team remained positive and close to returning to full fitness.