Mohamed Salah has yet another record in his sights this season as Liverpool begins life as the new Premier League champion.
The Reds head to Chelsea today having secured their title last weekend against Tottenham. Salah has been one of the main driving forces in Arne Slot’s side, having scored 28 goals and added 18 assists in the league to put himself on course for both the Golden Boot and Playmaker awards.
Although Slot has confirmed he will be rotating his squad over the remaining fixtures, and giving some of his fringe players the chance to make their mark, Salah will be expected to hold onto his place in the side as he targets more records in what has already been a sensational campaign.
The Egyptian moved up to fifth outright in the Premier League’s all-time top scorers list last weekend, having overtaken Sergio Aguero’s tally of 184 goals. In the process, he also claimed the title of the league’s greatest foreign goalscorer.
He already holds the record for most goal involvements in a 38-game season, and is now just one away from equaling Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole’s efforts of 47 during the early years of the competition – back when 42 games were played.
Another two assists would see him go level with Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne’s records for the most assists in a season (20), and Salah will have the chance to break another rare record at Stamford Bridge today.
The 32-year-old needs just one more goal to equal the record for a player aged 30 or older in a season, currently held by Didier Drogba for Chelsea during the 2009/10 campaign.
(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Having signed a new two-year deal at Anfield last month, Salah will have plenty more records in his sights.
Another three goals would see him overtake Andrew Cole and move fourth in the league’s all-time scorers list, with Wayne Rooney (208) and Harry Kane (213) next in his sights.
Record-holder Shearer may prove beyond his reach unless he extends his stay on Merseyside even further, although the former Newcastle and England striker is in no doubt about Salah’s status among the Premier League’s legends.
“There’s no doubt that Mo Salah has already put himself in the list of Premier League greats,” Shearer told Betfair.
“When you look at some of the incredible players we’ve had from abroad who have made our league so much better, he is one of the best of those. Even if you’re not a Liverpool fan, you do appreciate how good he is and what he’s done for Liverpool Football Club.
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“It’s great that we’ve got Salah in the Premier League for another two years because there was a serious point where we thought his time may be up but two more years of watching him smash goals in every single week is great for the Premier League, absolutely.
“A great goal scorer is one who can go again every single season. As I got older, I suffered three serious injuries so I had to change my game but I was always still confident that I could go out and get goals. Even when I retired I knew there were a few in me but I also knew my legs had gone.
“Salah is looking as good, fit and sharp as we’ve ever seen him and there’s no reason to doubt that this will change. For me, it won’t. I think we’ll see the same Salah next season. He hasn’t had serious injuries, he still looks as good, quick and sharp as he always has. He’s going to be a nightmare for defenders over the next two years.”
