Another week, another milestone for Mohamed Salah, who now sits eighth in the Premier League all-time goal scorers list, overtaking another Liverpool icon, Robbie Fowler, with his winning goal against Brighton on Saturday.
That strike, a wonderful, trademark Salah finish, curled into the far corner on his left foot after a driving run at the defence, was his ninth goal of the season in 15 games in all competitions. He also has seven assists to make it 16 goal contributions in 15 appearances.
It’s an impressive run of form at the start of the new era at Anfield under Arne Slot that underlines - yet again - Salah’s importance to this Liverpool team, regardless of having turned 32 last summer.
Salah shows few signs of slowing down. Yes, he has lost a yard of pace and he certainly doesn’t beat his man as often as he used to, but his game has changed as the years have passed. He has adapted and new strengths have been found, not least in his playmaker qualities - seven more assists and he overtakes David Beckham into the Premier League’s top 10 list there, too.
Salah won the game for a Liverpool side who were miles off the pace in the opening 45 against Brighton, with Slot admitting his side “didn’t show up” in the first half. The Egyptian stood in front of The Kop, taking in the adulation as Anfield erupted after two goals in two minutes turned the game around.
Mohamed Salah lit Anfield up once more, with Liverpool harnessing the crowd's energy
We’ve been here before, of course, with Anfield - and its atmosphere - energising those on the pitch in red and making their opponents buckle. “We got maybe a little bit attracted by the atmosphere,” admitted Fabian Hurzeler post-match, adding: “I only experienced the atmosphere on the television so far, and now we experienced it on our own.”
Brighton were left in no doubt about the effect Anfield can have. Moments before Liverpool’s equaliser, Seagulls coach Jonas Scheuermann was gesturing to his players to be calm and stay big as Anfield’s noise levels increased, creating what Hurzeler described as a “wild environment.”
It’s an environment that Salah knows and loves all too well. “No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like,” he posted on social media on Sunday.
He also outlined exactly what his aims are this season; the Premier League title: “Top of the table is where this club belongs. Nothing less. All teams win matches but there’s only one champion in the end. That’s what we want.”
VIDEO The Brilliant Way Arne Slot Changed Liverpool Against Arsenal
However, it’s not the title message that will have fans talking and the hierarchy and Anfield deciphering, but the part about “no matter what happens.”
Some might say it’s a sign that he’s leaving when his contract expires at the end of the season, while others will understand how Salah and his agent, Ramy Abbas, use the media to get their message across, particularly in contract negotiations.
Salah already made clear that contract talks were seemingly not going the way he’d like, when he stunned those watching on Sky Sports after a 3-0 win at Old Trafford in early September by saying “it’s my last year in the club.”
He later expanded, saying: “Nobody in the club talked to me yet about contracts, so I’ve said ‘OK, I’ll play my last season and in the end we’ll see’.”
Two months on and it’s another message, a clear one aimed towards Liverpool’s hierarchy. Will Liverpool take the hint and give Salah what he wants? Or risk losing not just one of their best and most influential current players, but one of the club’s greatest-ever players and one who will likely be in the top four Liverpool goal-scorers of all-time when his contract expires in the summer.
Liverpool simply have to find a way to keep Salah beyond this season - no matter what.
