Mo Salah set to leave Liverpool after Newcastle United clash - major boost for Arsenal

Liverpool will be without Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endo for an extended period ahead of two major international tournaments.

Both Salah and Endo will be available to face Newcastle United at Anfield on New Year's Day before joining up with Egypt and Japan respectively for the upcoming African Cup of Nations and Asia Games. The pair have enjoyed strong seasons for The Reds so far with Salah's 12 Premier League goals only bettered by Erling Haaland's 14 for Manchester City.

Salah and Endo could miss up to eight matches each should Egypt and Japan go far in their respective tournaments. Liverpool have an FA Cup third round clash against Arsenal coming up this month as well as a two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Fulham.

In the Premier League, Jurgen Klopp's side face Bournemouth and Chelsea in January before a trip to Arsenal on February 4. The Reds start 2024 sitting top of the Premier League.

Reflecting on his side's situation and the anticipated absences of Salah and Endo, Klopp said: "We have solutions today and I hope we have that after Newcastle as well. It is not the first time, it is a really very average situation that you lose your goal scorer.

"But we had it even worse in the past when both Sadio [Mane] and Mo left."We always came through it. Traditionally at least one of them went far in the tournament at least, which makes it even worse."

Newcastle United, meanwhile, will not lose any players to the Asian Games or the African Cup of Nations.