Cabin BLV: Salah will benefit from Isak's long-term absence

24/12/2025 07:34:00 ChampionChatter

Alexander Isak’s severe injury opens a major chance for Mohamed Salah to return quickly to Liverpool’s starting lineup, but the Egyptian striker is unlikely to stay at Anfield for long.

1. The conflict between Salah and Arne Slot somewhat calmed down when Salah appeared in the 2-0 victory over Brighton on December 13, the last match he played before leaving to join Egypt’s squad for AFCON 2025.

However, things unexpectedly improved for Salah after Isak suffered a broken leg in the recent 2-0 win against Tottenham. The Swedish striker had successful surgery but will be out for a long time. Some sources reveal that Isak might only return after the FIFA international break in March, though the recovery could take longer depending on his rehabilitation. This is the second injury-related absence for Isak after missing five games recently due to a groin injury.

Salah will definitely be pleased to hear this because Slot had excluded the Egyptian star from the starting lineup in recent Liverpool matches to pave the way for a new attacking setup focused on Isak as the central striker, alongside newcomers Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo. Now, the Dutch coach must revise his plans. Hugo Ekitike will clearly benefit significantly as the French forward no longer has competition for the central striker spot. In fact, Ekitike has been the better-performing striker recently, scoring five goals in his last three Premier League games, including two braces against Leeds and Brighton and a goal against Sunderland.

Salah will gain greatly as Isak is expected to be sidelined long-term due to the broken leg injury.

Salah is also another player with increased chances to play during Isak’s long absence because Slot urgently requires a quality option for Liverpool’s attack. Despite some disagreements with Slot, the 1992-born forward remains professional and ready to give his best if reinstated to the starting lineup. Salah needs to regain form from his performances with Egypt. His goal in Egypt’s opening match, a 2-1 victory over Zimbabwe, was a positive sign. Isak’s injury, while unfortunate, carries a silver lining. Liverpool’s attack currently has many options for Slot, but he has yet to find the ideal combination. The prolonged absence of the Swedish striker is an opportunity for Slot to create the best possible choices to help Liverpool revive this season, even though their chances of defending the Premier League title are very slim.

2. So how will Salah’s situation be handled once he finishes his AFCON duty? The Egyptian superstar is unlikely to leave during the upcoming January transfer window after the bad news about Isak. Liverpool will want to keep him at least until the end of this season to avoid major disruption in the attack.

My personal view is that the most probable scenario is Salah will remain until the end of this season and then leave once Isak has recovered, although it is unclear how many matches the Swedish forward will play for the rest of the campaign. Salah leaving Anfield next summer, if it happens, will allow Liverpool to better plan for the next season. Of course, everything will depend on Slot’s perspective and whether Salah can regain his previous form when he returns to Anfield. But Liverpool is clearly preparing for a future without Salah, and it would be beneficial for all sides if this is the final season for the 1992-born forward. Slot’s team needs to reduce the wage bill, while Salah could explore new challenges in a different football environment such as the Saudi Pro League.

BLV Quang Huy

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