Liverpool – Liverpool had 150 million reasons to leave Mohamed Salah to the Saudi club Al-Ittihad in the summer. But by scoring twice in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Everton, the Egypt international underscored how important he is to Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Everton, who were reduced to 10 men before half-time after Ashley Young was sent off for two yellow cards – both for a foul on Luis Diaz – struggled desperately to emerge from the 243rd Merseyside derby with at least a point. Manager Sean Dyche replaced two wingers with defenders in the first half to pack his defense in a bid to frustrate the home side.
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But Salah, once again, gave Liverpool the lead by scoring a penalty in the 75th minute after a VAR review flagged a handball from Michael Keane. Salah’s second goal, seven minutes into stoppage time, only confirmed the result. But without his opener, Liverpool may have dropped two crucial points in their bid to win the Premier League title.
“Today was not his [Salah’s] “Best game,” Klopp said. “But you need someone to get the ball over the goal line and he was that guy again. He will never stop, that’s his nature.”
The 31-year-old has won everything there is worth winning in the domestic game since arriving at Liverpool from Roma in 2017, and a large part of that success is down to the contribution he made during his six seasons at the club. He has scored 194 goals in all competitions for Liverpool and registered 78 assists, while his brace against Everton first moved him level with legends Kenny Dalglish and Steven Gerrard on 105 goals at Anfield, then surpassing them.
Salah now has 11 Premier League goals from nine games already this season – seven goals and four assists – and has scored or assisted in each of his last 13 home Premier League matches. In six seasons, he broke the 20-goal mark in the Premier League on four occasions and scored 19 goals in each season when he failed to do so. He was a model of consistency in a team that won every trophy it competed for at the time.
When Liverpool need a goal, they can usually count on Salah to find something when it is needed most.
“Great players do that [step up when needed]Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool defender, said after the Everton match: “This season, or towards the end of last season, he has played.” [Salah] “We missed two penalty kicks, but stepping up and performing is something we need.”
When the Etihad made their £150m bid for Salah late in the summer transfer window, it was football’s worst-kept secret. Liverpool were preparing for the bid to arrive, and having already raised more than £50m from the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Al-Ettifa and Al-Ittihad respectively, knew the financial backing might enable them to sign one or even two. World class players to replace their talisman.
With Salah’s contract expiring in June 2025, the long-term justification for abandoning the player was clear, but the reality of football is that Klopp will find it impossible to replace him this season. This season simply would not have been possible without the team’s most reliable goalscorer.
Financially, this may be a decision Liverpool’s accountants come to regret, but football still comes first at Anfield and there can be no doubt that the club made the right decision in rejecting the Etihad’s offer.
With Salah in the team, Liverpool can overcome any opponent, be it 10-man Everton or title favorites Manchester City, against whom Salah has scored 11 goals in a Liverpool shirt. Only Manchester United (12) have conceded more goals to Salah than City, which is another example of his ability to make a difference in the most important matches.
Only City striker Erling Haaland (9) has scored more league goals than Salah this season, but City have shown a greater ability to win when Haaland fails to score than Liverpool do when Salah is absent. That’s how important it is.
Liverpool have had world-class players like Salah before – like Dalglish, Gerrard and Luis Suarez, who possessed that invaluable ability to turn a draw or defeat into a win. With Al-Ittihad expected to return with another transfer offer next summer, this could be Salah’s farewell season at Liverpool.
But while he stays, Klopp’s side can win every game they play and every competition they participate in.
