If the African Nations Cup goes forward, then our attacking options are going to be Origi, Firmino, Jota, Elliot for a month, and that too assuming no injuries.
AFCON... ...Reminds me of this
😵:
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spo...news/liverpools-afcon-truth-how-many-20827657
Such simplistic view discounting injuries & suspensions, lose of form, fatigue, changes in schedule etc. If that's really what the management thinks, good luck - how ironic it will be to suffer similar injury woes in at attacking department this time round. (Konate started his career as a striker, could do a Caulker perhaps)
[article]For the likes of Naby Keita, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, the prestigious competition is one that their sights will have been set on for some time for their respective nations.
All three are star men and will have serious designs of making their mark in Cameroon.
But while a mid-season departure of two of Liverpool's front three has always been looked at with understandable trepidation, the reality will not be as fearful to Klopp.
With AFCON 2022 scheduled to take place between January 9 and February 6, Liverpool will not be without their heavy hitters for too long.
During that near month-long period, the Reds are involved in just two Premier League games, at home to Brentford and away at Crystal Palace.
By the time Leicester City are entertained on February 9, the Reds will have all three of Keita, Salah and Mane back in for contention, even if any two of Guinea, Egypt or Senegal go all the way to the final.
January window panic buys are unlikely to be on the agenda for Liverpool's recruitment team then as far Mane and Salah replacements go, even if there is a school of thought that yearns for the arrival of another attacking option this summer.
Liverpool are also likely to whisk their players back from Africa on a private jet in an attempt to keep them as refreshed as possible during what is hoped to be a season that sees them seriously challenge for the title.
The third round of the FA Cup will be played across the weekend of January 8 and 9, but Klopp would surely have given time off for all three anyway, given the demands of the season and where the competition sits in the list of priorities.
So while the prospect of losing the trio for both league games is not an ideal scenario, it certainly holds up more favourably than in 2017 when Sadio Mane missed seven in total.
A delay for Mane's return flight from Gabon four years ago meant he was also only able to start on the bench of a 1-1 draw with Chelsea following his return.
This time around, the Reds will have their two top scorers of the last three seasons back sooner rather than later.[/article]