Liverpool could well welcome Mohamed Salah back a lot sooner than expected after Egypt's Africa Cup of Nations campaign got off to a bad start in Cameroon.
The Reds' forward is away on international duty this month and is set to miss a number of key fixtures for his club side as Egypt look to take home the AFCON trophy.
Should they go all the way, the final is slated for February 6, meaning Salah could miss a total of six Liverpool games before returning to his club from the competition.
He was absent for the Reds' FA Cup clash with League One Shrewsbury Town at the weekend, though was scarcely missed as his teammates ran out comfortable 4-1 winners despite initially trailing.
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Salah will be disappointed to be absent for Liverpool's two Carabao Cup semi-final ties with Arsenal this week and next, which sandwich a Premier League clash with Brentford at Anfield.
The following weekend Jurgen Klopp's men then travel to Crystal Palace before facing Cardiff City in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Liverpool welcome Leicester after that - a match which falls just four days after AFCON finishes, possibly affecting any hopes Salah had of featuring if Egypt are competing in the final.
However, their opening fixture in the tournament did not go according to plan, as Salah endured a frustrating evening in a 1-0 defeat to Nigeria, whose goal was scored by Leicester's Kelechi Iheanacho.
Egypt are still expected to qualify from the knockout stage, though, with more favourable fixtures to come against Guinea-Bissau and Sudan respectively over the next eight days.
However, Liverpool will no doubt be keeping one eye on proceedings, as elimination for Egypt at the group stage could see Salah heading back to Merseyside prematurely.
Egypt's final group game against Sudan takes place next Wednesday on January 19.
Were the worst to happen and Egypt not make it through to the next phase, Salah could even be back with his employers in time for the clash with Palace four days later.
AFCON rules do contain the safety net for the four best third-placed finishers to still qualify for the latter rounds, though, meaning Salah's Egypt would have to make a real mess of it to fail to make the next round.
Meanwhile, Salah has once again addressed the speculation surrounding his Liverpool contract, which expires in 2023.
The 29-year-old's representatives have been in talks with Liverpool chiefs over an extension, but it seems little progress is being made.
Speaking to GQ, Salah said: “I want to stay, but it's not in my hands. It's in their hands.
“They know what I want. I'm not asking for crazy stuff.
“I've been here for my fifth year now. I know the club very well. I love the fans. The fans love me. But with the administration, they have [been] told the situation. It's in their hands.”
