Mo Salah set to miss Liverpool's clash against Arsenal as Arne Slot faces decision

Liverpool look set to be without Mohammed Salah for one of their biggest games of the 2025-26 season.

The Premier League fixtures have been released, with the Reds’ title defence beginning against AFC Bournemouth on Friday 15 August at Anfield. It means that Milos Kerkez, expected to complete a transfer to Arne Slot’s side for around £40 million, will quickly face his former side.

Supporters will have been scanning when the bigger fixtures against the likes of Everton, Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal take place. Liverpool earned a record-equalling 20th English championship by finishing above Arsenal in the table. The Gunners have finished as runners-up in the past three seasons and are expected to mount a challenge yet again.

And when Slot takes his troops to the Emirates Stadium scheduled for Wednesday 7 January, he looks likely to be without his talisman Salah. The winger enjoyed a barnstorming 2024-25 season as he scored 29 league goals and created 18 - equalling the record of Andy Cole and Alan Shearer for the most goal contributions in a Premier League season.

However, with the African Cup of Nations taking place in the winter months, with the tournament scheduled in Morocco, Liverpool will have a period without Salah as he will be captaining Egypt. The tournament begins on Sunday 21 December until Sunday 18 January. With Egypt among the favourites to win AFCON for a record-extending eighth time, Salah could be away for a large period. Salah has yet to claim glory with the Pharaohs, having lost both the 2017 and 2021 finals to Cameroon and Senegal respectively.

If Egypt again go all of the way, Salah could miss as many as eight matches for Liverpool. Six of them may be in the league, starting with a trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday 20 December, with Egypt’s opening fixture against Zimbabwe two days later.

The Reds then play host to Wolves (Saturday 27 December) and Leeds United (Tuesday 30 December) before travelling to Fulham (Saturday 3 January) before a crunch clash against Arsenal. That is when the knockout stage of AFCON commences. Slot’s men also have a league fixture against Burnley at Anfield on Saturday 17 January. The Reds will also be in action in the FA Cup third round the weekend of Friday 9 January.

Salah’s void on the right wing will be a challenge for Slot to fill given he started every league game en route to the silverware and was rewarded with a new two-year contract in April.

There is the option to deploy Jeremie Frimpong in the role. The Netherlands international joined Liverpool earlier this month from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of £30 million. Frimpong was quickly identified as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who turned down a fresh deal and joined Real Madrid.

However, Frimpong is versatile and not only can play as a right-back but in several positions on the flank. Harvey Elliott has played on the wing, while Federico Chiesa’s favoured role is on the right. However, both players face uncertain futures this summer and have been linked with potential exits.