Salah's Memorable Performance Propels Liverpool to Premier League Summit Ahead of Africa Cup of Nations Departure
Mohamed Salah shines in Liverpool's 4-2 victory over Newcastle, delivering a memorable performance before departing for Africa Cup of Nations A rollercoaster send-off for Salah as he helps Liverpool claim top spot in the Premier League
Mohamed Salah had an eventful farewell in his last game before leaving to join his Egypt team for the Africa Cup of Nations. He played a key role in Liverpool's 4-2 Premier League victory against Newcastle on Monday.
The 31-year-old missed a penalty in the first half but later scored two goals, marking his 150th and 151st goals in the Premier League for the club. He also made an assist for Cody Gakpo with a superb cross using the outside of his left foot.
Salah's crucial contribution led to Liverpool's second goal, as he passed to Diogo Jota who then set up Curtis Jones for an easy finish.
In addition to becoming only the fifth player in Liverpool's history to score 150 league goals, Salah's performance also helped the club secure a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Salah will be unavailable for his club as he joins the Egypt national team for the Africa Cup of Nations, the continent's premier international tournament that The Pharaohs have won a record seven times. The competition is taking place in Ivory Coast, but Salah is confident that Liverpool has the quality to keep winning games without him.
Salah expressed his desire to win the Africa Cup of Nations after the Newcastle victory. He emphasized his confidence in Liverpool's players to continue winning games even in his absence. He noted the team's strength and talent, urging them to stay focused and play their best football. Salah also acknowledged the ability of other players to step into his position and perform effectively.
Salah celebrates with his teammates after scoring Liverpool's fourth goal against Newcastle.
Representing the national team holds great significance for me and brings about a wonderful sense of pride. Wearing the national team jersey as I step onto the field is truly a privilege that I deeply appreciate. Participating in the tournament brings me joy and my ultimate goal is to emerge victorious.
Salah's standout performance marked a flawless beginning to 2024 for Liverpool, seizing the opportunity to overtake Arsenal's recent struggles and claim the top spot in the Premier League after 20 matches. However, the victory for the Merseyside team was hard-fought, with Salah's early missed penalty adding an initial obstacle at Anfield.
Despite his earlier mistake, he redeemed himself by scoring from close range in the 49th minute, giving his team the lead. This goal marked his 150th for Liverpool in the Premier League, making him only the fifth player to achieve this milestone for a single club in the competition. Following the game, Salah credited a change of footwear at halftime for turning his luck around.
"I missed the pen with the other boots, but I just trained with them yesterday," Salah told We after the victory. "It's not superstitious because I play with many boots. But when I feel like it's going to affect my performance, I change the boots!
"But I don't want to go into the second half of the game thinking, I didn't score with these. So I just calmed my mind and focused on the game."
Alexander Isak's precise goal made the score 1-1. Liverpool then quickly extended their lead with close-range goals from Jones and Gakpo, but Sven Botman's header in the 81st minute narrowed the score to 3-2, setting the stage for a dramatic finish. However, any fears were dispelled when Salah redeemed his earlier penalty miss by scoring from the spot in the 86th minute, securing the three points for Liverpool.
After the game, Salah said his imminent departure for the Egypt national team provided extra motivation for him in the second half to correct his first-half mistakes.
Salah takes a penalty against Newcastle.
Jan Kruger/Getty Images
The players emphasized the need to stay calm in the dressing room.
Reflecting on missing the penalty, the player admitted, "At half-time, I questioned whether I wanted to represent the national team with that performance. I had to refocus and step up to make a difference, and thankfully I was able to do so."
He went on to say: "This is a fantastic result for us. The game was extremely intense and we were able to secure three points, putting us at the top of the table. We need to remain composed and strive to win every game."
The Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on Saturday, January 13, with Ivory Coast taking on Guinea-Bissau. The final match is scheduled for Sunday, February 11.
