Liverpool games Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita will miss in 2021/22 season
[article]Originally scheduled to take place earlier this year, the tournament was forced to delay for a further year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Depending on when the players travel, the first clash the trio may miss could have a huge impact on a potential title race, with a New Year's Day fixture away to Chelsea on the card.
Though Liverpool may be without two of their most potent goal threats for the trip to Stamford Bridge, they can take some comfort in the fact that the Blues would also be without their No.1 shot stopper. Edouard Mendy is also likely to be away on AFCON duty for Senegal.
Following that, Liverpool's next three games see an away trip to Crystal Palace on January 22 lodged between two home fixtures against newly-promoted Brentford, who will look to spring a upset on January 15, before Brendan Rodgers makes a return to his former side with Leicester City on February 9.
When planning for the tournament in late 2019, the organisers took the decision to move it from its planned summer dates to the winter because of the climate in Cameroon, the host nation, during June and July.
Confederation of African Football deputy general secretary Tony Baffoe said: "We have reviewed the period of the competition as requested by the Cameroonian party due to unfavourable climatic conditions during the period initially slated.
"After listening to the various arguments and viewpoints, and in particular from the Cameroonian meteorological authorities, the coaches and players; the representatives of the AFCON organising committee, which received the mandate from CAF Executive Committee to take the decision, has granted this request."
If Egypt, Senegal or Guinea make it to the February final, it would mean a six-game absence for at least one of Klopp's stars.[/article]