Where does Mohamed Salah rank amongst all-time greats?
“You only achieve this if you are a super, super special player”, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said. And he is. Mohamed Salah, the left-footed right winger, is definitely leaving a mark. But what will his legacy look like once he calls it a day?
The comment from Klopp came on December 9th, when Salah scored his 200th goal for the club. That is just what he does. This season, he has scored twelve (second to Erling Haaland, who has two more) goals and assisted another seven (joint-most with Kieran Trippier and Pedro Neto) in the Premier League.
His next goal in the league will be his 150th for Liverpool – he will be just the fifth player in the Premier League era to reach that milestone with a single club. The others? Harry Kane (Tottenham), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Thierry Henry (Arsenal). All legends of the game.
“A player with his numbers I’m not sure I will ever coach again,” Klopp praised in early December. “His whole development from the first talks we had to the talks we have now, as a man, is an incredible and very impressive development and growth – and as a player as well. Absolutely exceptional player, all-time great. No shadow of a doubt.”
Salah only joined Liverpool in 2017, having failed at Chelsea before rebuilding his career in Italy with Fiorentina and Roma. Three Champions League finals, a Premier League, and every other possible title later, it has been quite the investment for 40 million euros. And yet, somehow, he has never finished higher than fifth in the Ballon d’Or polls.
Will Salah reach 150 on January 1st, and what other games to enjoy around New Year’s Eve?
All times listed below are in Eastern European Standard Time (GMT+2).
Liverpool – Newcastle
Monday 22:00
Liverpool are the Premier League leaders after MD19, despite having drawn their last two home games against Manchester United (0-0) and Arsenal (1-1). Is it just a blip? After all, they have lost just one of their last 51 Premier League home games, and are unbeaten in 21 straight.
They also have a great record vs Newcastle – Liverpool has won the last five head-to-head games and is unbeaten in the last 14 (since December 2015). Newcastle are in a slump, having earned just three points from their last five league games. They have not won an away league game since September when they put eight past the hapless Sheffield United.
Whether Salah scores or not, he is set to leave Liverpool to represent Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations. He will miss at least three games, with one of them (away to Bournemouth) in the Premier League, but should Egypt reach the AFCON final, he will not be back for crucial games against Chelsea (home) and Arsenal (away).
Fulham – Arsenal
Sunday 16:00
Arsenal are the closest challenger to Liverpool at the moment and could have overtaken them on Thursday, but suffered a 0:2 loss at home to West Ham – meaning Arsenal has earned just four points from their last four games. Fulham held them to a 2-2 draw in August, so this one could be tricky too.
Their recent trips to the Craven Cottage have been quite successful though with Arsenal scoring at least three times on their last four visits. Defender Gabriel seems to relish the atmosphere, as he scored there on his debut and then again last season; he has scored a total of three goals in four appearances against Fulham.
Tottenham – Bournemouth
Sunday 16:00
Tottenham are six points off Liverpool in fifth and did themselves no favours on Thursday when Brighton raced to a 4-0 lead by the 75th minute. Bournemouth could be another banana peel, having won the same fixture 3-2 last season; goals can be expected again, as Tottenham has averaged 2.5 goals against Bournemouth in the 13 Premier League games between them.
Bournemouth are on a roll right now, having earned the most points in the league since late October. Former Chelsea and Liverpool striker Dominic Solanke has been on fire with 12 goals to his name in the league. Tottenham are reportedly considering a bid in the summer, so a strong showing here could spark more interest. Arsenal are also in the hunt for the 26-year-old England player.
