Tag: Mohamed Salah

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is certain Mohamed Salah will get the send-off his glittering career deserves, even if injury prevents the Egyptian from playing again for the Reds.

Salah, who will leave Anfield after nine years at the end of the season, was forced off with a suspected hamstring injury in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace.

Liverpool are awaiting the results of a scan to determine the extent of the problem, but with just four games of the campaign remaining, the 33-year-old may not feature again this season.

“If you get injured at this stage of the season, especially in the situation he is in, there are only two more home games left for him. It’s a combination of feelings that go through your mind,” said Van Dijk.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“He will get the send-off regardless. I don’t think that is the thing at this point; we shouldn’t think too far ahead.

“Knowing Mo, he is a quick healer and with the right people around him, let’s see.”

Mohamed Salah has scored 257 goals in 440 appearances since his arrival in 2017, behind only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt in Liverpool’s list of leading goalscorers.

The winger has been integral to the club’s rise back to the top of English and European football, winning the Champions League and two Premier League titles among a clutch of trophies.

Salah also scooped the players’ player of the year award a record three times and was the Premier League’s top scorer on four occasions.

READ: Mbappe doubtful for Clasico after Real Madrid confirm thigh injury

Jurgen Klopp believes Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool as one of the “all-time greats”, with his “unmatched numbers” likely to prove tough to top for future generations at Anfield.

Egypt forward Salah announced on Tuesday he would bring the curtain down on a brilliant nine years with Liverpool at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old arrived from Roma in 2017 and has made 435 appearances for Liverpool to date, scoring 255 goals to be third on the club’s list of all-time goalscorers behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.

“In the moment when you work with him, it is the same as every other player: ‘You can’t lose the ball here, you have to defend here’, all these kind of things,” Klopp told the Anfield Wrap on Thursday.

“But with the bigger view, it is just ridiculous. Unmatched numbers — will we be talking in 10 years and someone else has them? (Hugo) Ekitike or whoever. I think it will be really difficult (to surpass Salah).

“I think he is one of the all-time greats.”

Under Klopp, Salah won the Champions League, Premier League, three domestic cups, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Club World Cup.

The bulk of those trophies came with Salah on the right of a front three also featuring Brazilian Roberto Firmino and Senegal’s Sadio Mane.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Together, the trio scored 338 goals in five seasons. Mohamed Salah led the way with 156 of those goals,  49 more than Mane and 81 ahead of Firmino.

“He (Salah) was part of the best front three in world football for a long time — the one with the most numbers. That says something,” said Klopp.

“It is not easy to be slightly above the other two guys. They all had their specific skills, but Mo was the one for the final moment. He wanted it more than anybody.”

Klopp stunned Liverpool fans two years ago by announcing he would resign at the end of the 2023/24 season after “running out of energy”.

He went on to receive an emotional farewell from the Anfield faithful following his last game in charge, at home to Wolves.

Klopp now hopes Salah gets a similar reception come his last game for Liverpool.

“We (Salah and Klopp) texted last night,” said the former Reds boss. “I really hope he enjoys the rest of the season. I know Mo will only enjoy it if he is winning football games and scoring.

“I hope on this last matchday you (Liverpool fans) all will have a smile on your face and just be happy and thankful that you were part of one of the most incredible careers we will ever be part of.”

READ: Marnus Labuschagne breaks silence on Maaz Sadaqat’s exclusion

Mohamed Salah will leave Premier League champions Liverpool at the end of the season, the Egyptian forward announced on Tuesday as he started a farewell to what the club said were nine “illustrious” years at Anfield.

The 33-year-old arrived from Roma in 2017 and has made 435 appearances for Liverpool to date, scoring 255 goals to be third on the club’s all-time goalscorers chart behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.

Salah has won four Premier League Golden Boots and starred for Liverpool in both their 2019/20 and 2024/25 title triumphs, as well as lifting the 2019 Champions League trophy.

His Liverpool honours also include a Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup and two League Cups.

Salah has scored just five Premier League goals this season, compared with 29 in last term’s title-winning campaign.

His Anfield future became the subject of intense speculation after a dramatic bust-up with Liverpool manager Arne Slot in December.

He accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after he was benched for three games in a row and said he had no relationship with the Dutch boss.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Salah, in a video on social media featuring highlights of his time with Liverpool, said: “Hello everyone. Unfortunately, the day has come.

“This is the first part of my farewell. I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

“I wanted to start by saying that I never imagined how deeply this club, this city, these people would become part of my life. Liverpool is not just a football club.

“It’s a passion, it’s a history, it’s a spirit. I can’t explain in words to anyone not of this club.”

Salah, who, in common with many Liverpool players and staff, was deeply affected by the death of team-mate Diogo Jota in a car crash in July, added: “We celebrated victory, we won the most important trophies, and we fought together through the hardest time in our life.

“I want to thank everyone who was part of this club throughout my time here, especially the teammates, past and present.

“And to the fans, I don’t have enough words. The support you showed me through the best time of my career, and you stood by me in the toughest times. It’s something I will never forget and something I will take with me always.

“Leaving is never easy. You gave me the best time of my life. I will always be one of you. This club will always be my home, to my family, and to me.

“Thank you for everything. Because of all of you, I will never walk alone,” insisted Salah in a reference to the Liverpool fans’ anthem.

READ: Mir Hamza backs David Warner’s leadership as Karachi Kings gear up for PSL 11

Mohamed Salah will miss Liverpool’s trip to Brighton on Saturday with a muscle injury — a major blow for manager Arne Slot as he hunts a Champions League place next season.

The Egypt forward was forced off at Anfield on Wednesday after scoring in Liverpool’s 4-0 victory against Galatasary, which sealed their place in the quarter-finals of this year’s Champions League.

In-form Mohamed Salah, 33, has scored in three of his past four starts after an uncharacteristic lean spell.

“It’s unusual,” Slot said at his pre-match press conference on Friday. “As a result of that I think you can expect the outcome. So, (he’s) not available for tomorrow.”

Slot gave no timeframe for Salah’s recovery.

“The good thing for Liverpool and for us is that we go to an international break,” he said. “The bad thing for Egypt is that he can’t go there.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“We are hoping also with what Mo has shown in the past that he can recover faster than other players might in similar situations because he takes such good care of his body. History has shown that he can be earlier back than some others.

“But it’s only two weeks until we go again so let’s hope in that period of time he can be back.”

Salah, who is rarely absent through injury, is firmly back in the fold at Anfield after a dramatic fallout with Slot earlier in the season, when he was dropped for several games.

Despite his recent good form, the Egypt forward has scored just five Premier League goals this season, compared with 29 in Liverpool’s title-winning campaign in 2024/25.

Slot, whose team dropped valuable points in a 1-1 draw against Tottenham last week, admitted his side were not sharp enough in attack.

“We’re struggling to score goals,” said the Dutchman. “Not that we don’t score them, but with all the chances we create, it’s unbelievable that we don’t score, especially looking at the quality we have up front and throughout the whole team.”

Liverpool are fifth in the Premier League, two points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, with the top five teams almost certain to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Slot’s men face Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals on April 4 and will meet defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight of the Champions League.

READ: PSL 11: Javed Afridi confirms full availability of Peshawar Zalmi’s overseas players

Mohamed Salah may be experiencing the worst goal drought of his Premier League career but Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes the Egypt striker is paying the price for his own high standards.

Salah, 33, has won the Golden Boot four times as the English top-flight’s leading goal-scorer since arriving at Anfield in 2017, the latest in last season’s title-winning campaign. But he has now gone nine league matches without a goal.

That is his worst run in the Premier League, but Slot, speaking ahead of Saturday’s match at home to West Ham, told reporters: “He set his own standards and those are so high and the moment he doesn’t score for a few games people are immediately surprised –- that is the biggest compliment he can get.”

The Dutch boss, whose side are sixth in the table and three points off a Champions League place, added: “We are used to Mo scoring a lot of goals and at this moment in time that is maybe the biggest difference in his performance and game time.

“But we also know this has happened before. I don’t know if it happened nine games in a row, but I’ve had these questions earlier if he didn’t score for three or five, but I know in the end he always starts scoring again.

“He is not our only attacker at this moment in time that doesn’t score as much as we are used to.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“The focus is totally on him because of everything he did for the club but Hugo (Ekitike) and Cody (Gakpo) haven’t scored that many goals recently as well. It is a team thing which we have to improve.”

Liverpool, meanwhile, announced they had returned to profit after their title triumph last season with a pre-tax surplus of £15.2 million ($20.5 million) that owed much to a £60 million increase in media revenue.

But performance bonuses, plus the contract renewals of high-profile stars such as Salah and skipper Virgil van Dijk, helped leave Liverpool with the highest wage bill in the Premier League as staff expenditure rose by £42 million to £428 million.

That put Liverpool ahead of Manchester City, whose employee costs for the same season were £408 million.

As these figures relate to the 2024/25 campaign, with the accounting period ending on May 31, they do not include Liverpool’s £450m summer spending spree on the likes of British record transfer Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ekitike.

Liverpool’s chief financial officer, Jenny Beacham, said the figures were welcome but warned tougher times may lie ahead.

“The club does face significant cost challenges, including rises in administrative, staffing and operational costs, alongside the need for us to compete at the highest level of the game, across our men’s and women’s teams.”

READ: Neymar ends goal drought as Santos edge Vasco da Gama

Mohamed Salah ended his Liverpool goal drought as the Reds crushed Qarabag 6-0 on Wednesday, booking their place in the Champions League last 16 and easing the pressure on Arne Slot.

Slot’s side overpowered the Azerbaijani underdogs with first-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz at Anfield.

Salah scored the third after the break on his club-record equalling 80th Champions League appearance for Liverpool.

It was the Egyptian forward’s first goal for Liverpool since November 1, ending an eight-game drought.

Salah had been dropped during that barren run, prompting him to claim he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club as he painted a bleak picture of his relationship with Slot.

The 33-year-old made peace prior to leaving for the Africa Cup of Nations in December, and Slot will hope his goal sparks a return to form.

Hugo Ekitike notched the fourth before Mac Allister and Federico Chiesa wrapped up Liverpool’s biggest win in all competitions since 2023, ensuring they automatically advanced to the last 16.

As well as avoiding the play-off round, Liverpool’s third-place finish in the league phase gives them the advantage of hosting the second leg of their last 16 tie.

“I’m very pleased. We know we can still improve in both boxes, but it was a very good performance,” Slot said.

“It’s always important to get the early goals to get the crowd on our side. We know we can do even better.”

Mac Allister added, “We skip two play-off games, which is important in a long season like this. We know that in the Champions League, we’ve been better than the Premier League. We need to see the positives.”

Despite being demolished on Merseyside, Qarabag still qualified for the play-offs after finishing 22nd.

Liverpool’s progress to the knockout stages was essential for Slot, who has faced awkward questions about his team’s troubled campaign in recent weeks.

Slot had hit back at criticism of Liverpool’s five-match winless run in the Premier League after last weekend’s 3-2 loss at Bournemouth, insisting it would still be a successful season if they win silverware.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

But Liverpool fans have grown increasingly frustrated with Slot, whose team trail Premier League leaders Arsenal by 14 points despite winning the title last season and then spending around £450 million ($619 million) on new signings.

Slot acknowledged the “noise” around Liverpool was “fair” and impossible to silence unless they do “special things” in the final months of the season.

The Champions League and FA Cup offer hope of fulfilling that ambition.

Virgil van Dijk was Liverpool’s only fit centre-back after Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez were ruled out, forcing Slot to start Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch at the heart of his defence.

Slot’s defensive options dwindled even further after just three minutes when the injury-plagued Jeremie Frimpong limped off.

But Liverpool were unfazed and quickly put Qarabag to the sword.

Their issues with free-kicks and corners led Slot to dismiss set-piece coach Aaron Briggs in December.

Lewis Mahoney, promoted to replace Briggs, conjured a corner routine that led to Liverpool’s opener in the 15th minute.

Ekitike flicked on Dominik Szoboszlai’s inswinging delivery, and when Van Dijk couldn’t convert, the ball bounced kindly for Mac Allister to nod home.

Wirtz doubled Liverpool’s lead in the 21st minute with his first Champions League goal since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen last year.

The German playmaker took Ekitike’s pass and, with Qarabag backing off, he had time and space to drill home from 18 yards.

Teed up by Szoboszlai’s back-heel, Salah curled a superb free-kick past Qarabag goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski into the far corner five minutes after half-time.

Ekitike sprinted clear to bag Liverpool’s fourth with a composed finish in the 57th minute.

Mac Allister tapped in the fifth four minutes later before Chiesa slotted in his first goal since September in stoppage time.

READ: Allrounder Molineux named Australia women’s all-format captain

Mohamed Salah made his much-anticipated return to the Liverpool squad on Tuesday following the Africa Cup of Nations as the club prepare to face Marseille in the Champions League.

A smiling Salah was put through his paces at the club’s training centre with the rest of Arne Slot’s squad ahead of Wednesday’s match in France.

The return of the Egypt forward has been a major talking point after he took aim at Liverpool in an explosive interview early last month.

Salah accused the club of throwing him “under the bus” after he was benched for three games in a row and said he had no relationship with Slot.

But he appeared as a substitute in a 2-0 Premier League win against Brighton on December 13, providing an assist, and Slot subsequently said the club had moved on from the furore.

Last week, Slot said he welcomed Salah’s return, refusing to divulge the content of his conversations with the 33-year-old, whose team finished fourth at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Slot said before Saturday’s 1-1 draw against struggling Burnley he was unsure whether the forward would face Marseille.

But on Tuesday afternoon Liverpool said Salah had been named in the 20-man squad for the trip to France.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“Mohamed Salah is included having returned to the club after representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations,” a statement on the club’s official website said.

Liverpool are currently ninth in the league phase of the Champions League.

The top eight qualify automatically for the last 16 while teams placed from ninth to 24th face a play-off round.

Salah is Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer of all time with 250 goals in 421 appearances, winning two Premier League titles and the Champions League since joining from Roma in 2017.

He signed a lucrative new two-year contract last year as he played a starring role in guiding Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.

But he has been a shadow of his former self during Liverpool’s struggles this season, managing just five goals in all competitions.

Liverpool’s Premier League defence collapsed with a run of six defeats in seven matches starting in late September.

The club are now unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions but remain 14 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.

READ: MLitton Das ‘unsure’ over Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup participation

Captain Mohamed Salah scored after 124 minutes to clinch a 3-1 extra-time victory for Egypt over plucky minnows Benin in an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) last-16 thriller in Agadir on Monday.

Marwan Attia put the Pharaohs ahead in the second half, and Jodel Dossou equalised for the Cheetahs, who are 58 places below the record seven-time AFCON champions in the world rankings.

Yasser Ibrahim headed Egypt back in front in the first half of extra time, then Salah broke clear and beat goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou with a shot from outside the area for his 10th AFCON goal.

Salah, whose goals have helped Liverpool win many trophies, is seeking a first AFCON winners’ medal, having twice been a runner-up.

Record seven-time champions Egypt stay in Agadir to face title-holders Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso on Saturday in the quarter-finals.

Egypt changed 10 of the team that drew with Angola in their final group match seven days ago, with only midfielder Ibrahim Adel retained.

Benin lacked captain and former Premier League striker Mounie, who had not recovered from an undisclosed illness.

Egypt had a great chance to go in front after only eight minutes through Manchester City striker Omar Marmoush.

He darted forward from the Egyptian half, gained possession and stayed ahead of two pursuing defenders only to be foiled by Dandjinou, who blocked the ball with his legs, then grasped it.

A collision between Hamdy and Rodolfo Aloko led to a long delay, which ended with the Egyptian being carried off the field. Ahmed Aboul-Fetouh took his place in midfield.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

An incident deep in added time illustrated how wary Benin were of Salah. When the captain gained possession just outside the box, he was immediately surrounded by three opponents.

Dandjinou rescued Benin 10 minutes into the second half when he bravely parried a close-range shot from Ramy Rabia after the ball ran loose to the defender following a corner.

As the match passed the hour mark, it began to open up. A Salah attempt to chip the ball into the net was foiled by leaping Dandjinou.

Then, a parry from 37-year-old Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy prevented substitute Dossou from giving Benin a shock lead.

Attia ended the goalless stalemate when Marmoush pushed the ball back to the midfielder and, from just outside the box, he side-footed it into the roof of the net.

Benin refused to accept defeat, though, and continued to attack, levelling on 83 minutes through 33-year-old Dossou.

El Shenawy did superbly to palm a Mohamed Tijani cross away from his goal, but the ball fell invitingly for Dossou, and he pushed it into the net.

Egypt regained the lead seven minutes into extra time, and this time Attia was the creator. He crossed after a short corner, and a looping Ibrahim header evaded Dandjinou and landed in the net.

Salah then put the outcome beyond doubt with his third goal of the tournament.

READ: Shaheen Afridi starts rehab at NCA ahead of T20 World Cup: reports

Mohamed Salah scored as 10-man Egypt beat South Africa 1-0 in Agadir on Friday to become the first qualifiers for the knockout stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The Liverpool star converted a penalty on 45 minute, and South Africa were denied a spot-kick late in the second half when Yasser Ibrahim appeared to handle the ball inside the box.

Egypt were reduced to 10 men in the first-half added time when right-back Mohamed Hany was shown a second yellow card for a stamp, followed by a red.

After two rounds in Group B, record seven-time champions Egypt have six points and are guaranteed a top-two finish and a place in the round of 16.

South Africa have three points, and Angola and Zimbabwe one each after they drew 1-1 in Marrakesh earlier.

“I’m very happy with the result, for sure. It was a tough game; they dominated most of the time. It’s a team that can keep the ball for a long time, so I think we had a good game plan, it worked,” said Salah.

“We walked away with the three points, it’s the most important thing. The atmosphere is incredible. Hopefully, we can carry on like this.”

The first chance fell to Salah after 11 minutes, but he could not move forward quickly enough to connect with a low cross from Hany.

That the majority of the crowd were supporting the Pharaohs became obvious soon after when the Burundi referee ignored Zizo’s appeals for a free-kick, and loud whistling enveloped the stadium.

When Mohamed Salah delivered a free-kick into the heart of the South African area, three Egyptians darted forward, but none could connect with the ball.

Midway through the opening half, a pattern had developed, Egypt were pushing forward regularly while South Africa defended with calmness and solid tackling.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

When Teboho Mokoena fouled Omar Marmoush just outside the D, he was yellow-carded. However, the Manchester City striker fired the resultant free-kick wide.

As the first half progressed, the sun broke out in the southern coastal city, a welcome sight for players and spectators with many earlier group matches staged in torrential rain.

A rare South Africa attack ended disappointingly as Lyle Foster struck a weak shot that was comfortably saved by 37-year-old Mohamed El Shenawy.

Awarded a free-kick close to the touchline, South Africa performed an intricate, multi-pass move that ended tamely as El Shenawy clutched a cross.

Salah was being closely policed by Aubrey Modiba, and as half-time drew near, the Liverpool star retreated into the Egyptian half to retain possession.

Then, as the Egypt captain chased a loose ball with Khuliso Mudau, the South African right-back raised his left arm, striking an eye of Salah.

Amid Egyptian protests, the Burundian referee viewed the incident on a VAR monitor and pointed to the penalty spot.

A lengthy delay before the kick was taken could not have eased the nerves of Salah, but he comfortably converted the penalty as Ronwen Williams dived in the wrong direction.

More drama erupted in added time when Hany stamped on Mokoena, leading to a second yellow card for the defender.

South Africa, with a numerical advantage, attacked more as the second half progressed, but Egypt came close to a second goal with Williams foiling substitute Emam Ashour after a quick free-kick.

El Shenawy displayed his agility with 15 minutes remaining, using his right hand to tip to safety a low shot from Foster. It was one of several saves that kept Egypt ahead.

WATCH: Struggling Babar Azam falls cheaply against Melbourne Stars

Mohamed Salah scored in added time to snatch a 2-1 victory for record seven-time champions Egypt over lowly ranked Zimbabwe in an Africa Cup of Nations Group B thriller in Agadir on Monday.

Salah came to Morocco after not starting in five consecutive Liverpool matches, with his omission leading to an outburst against manager Arne Slot.

But his uncertain future at Anfield was forgotten as he pounced on a loose ball inside the box and beat 40-year-old Zimbabwe goalkeeper Washington Arubi with a perfectly placed shot into the corner.

What was expected to be a comfortable start for Egypt in Group B proved anything but as Prince Dube gave Zimbabwe a 20th-minute lead, they retained it until Omar Marmoush equalised after 63 minutes.

Victory leaves Egypt level on three points after the first series of group matches with South Africa, who beat Angola 2-1 in Marrakesh earlier.

Egypt were quick to apply pressure, forcing all 11 Zimbabweans to retreat deep into their half at the 40,000-seat stadium in the southern coastal city.

Salah delivered a dangerous cross that did not bear fruit, then had a close-range shot blocked as the Pharaohs laid siege to the Warriors’ goalmouth.

Then, 20 minutes into the first half, Zimbabwe silenced the largely Egypt-supporting crowd by taking the lead.

Emmanuel Jalai crossed into the box, Dube won possession, turned and fired a low shot past veteran goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy into the corner of the net.

It could have been even worse for Egypt as the ball ran loose in their six-yard area soon after, before El Shenawy finally grasped it.

Egypt coach and former star Hossam Hassan grew increasingly frustrated on the touchline as he shouted instructions.

There was a moment of hope for the former champions when Marmoush beat an offside trap, but Arubi dashed out of his area, won the race for possession and cleared.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Marmoush went close as half-time drew near, unleashing a long-range shot that produced a superb finger-tip save from Arubi.

As the frustration of the Egyptians grew, former Aston Villa striker Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan took a dive inside the box and was yellow-carded by the Senegalese referee.

Mohamed Salah was in perpetual motion and had a half-chance in added time at the end of the opening half, but Zimbabwe blocked his attempt.

The second half was a repeat of the first, with endless Egyptian pressure and heroic Zimbabwean defending.

After several near misses, Egypt levelled on 63 minutes when Marmoush got behind the defence, picked up a pass, darted forward and slammed the ball into the net from a tight angle.

Salah found himself one-on-one with a defender 12 minutes from the end of regular time, but his hurried shot flew over. Then came his added-time winner.

Ahead of the match, Salah had shown no signs of being distracted by the uncertainty surrounding his future at Liverpool, according to Hassan, an AFCON winner as a player.

“I feel his motivation is very, very strong. Salah is an icon and will remain so. He is one of the best players in the world, and I support him in everything he does,” said Hassan.

Salah did not start any of the last five Liverpool games before the AFCON, and things came to a head following a Premier League draw at Leeds United when he claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by Slot.

That suggested a move away from the troubled league champions during the January transfer window was a real possibility.

Salah wants to lead Egypt to a record-extending eighth AFCON title. He has never won the continental title, coming closest by being part of the teams that were runners-up in 2017 and 2022.

READ: Napoli beat Bologna to lift Italian Super Cup