Liverpool Star Salah Edges Closer to Historic Premier League Feats | OneFootball

Salah’s Pursuit of Premier League Records Rolls Into Final Matchday

Liverpool Icon Within Touching Distance of History

Mohamed Salah’s relationship with Premier League milestones is long-standing, but this season might be his most astonishing yet. The Egyptian forward, in his 400th appearance for Liverpool, had the chance to equal the all-time Premier League goal involvement record but passed up the opportunity in unexpected fashion.

Faced with an open goal from close range after Cody Gakpo’s low cross, Salah somehow dragged his effort wide. It was a miss that stunned the Amex crowd — and the player himself. His rueful smile spoke volumes.

Two months ago, Salah was storming toward a place in Premier League folklore. A brace against Southampton on 8 March took him to 27 goals and 17 assists in just 29 appearances — three shy of the 47-goal involvement record jointly held by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole.

Photo: IMAGO

In the same period, he appeared destined to surpass the assist record for a single season — 20 — currently shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

Yet since that moment, his form has cooled: just one goal and one assist in eight matches.

Slot’s Confidence in His Star Forward

Liverpool boss Arne Slot was quick to defend his talisman after the Brighton defeat: “The first thought that goes through my head when I see the ball moving towards Mo, I’m like, ‘It’s quite a big chance, this could lead to a goal’, because that’s what Mo normally does.”

Slot added: “He’s been throughout this season almost inhuman. But there were moments in the season where he was human… The good thing for us is this hardly ever happens and, if it happens, you can be sure that he will score in the third game or the fourth game.”

Despite this dry spell, Salah is still expected to equal, or even surpass, some records on the final day. His 28 Premier League goals place him five clear of Alexander Isak in the Golden Boot race, meaning barring a dramatic twist, he will claim that prize for a fourth time — matching Thierry Henry’s record.

“Hopefully I’m going to break [the goal involvements record] soon. It’s something pushing me forward to just keep going and keep working hard,” said Salah after Liverpool secured the Premier League title on 27 April.

Photo: IMAGO

European Accolade Still Within Reach

The European Golden Shoe remains in his sights too. Viktor Gyokeres, who has finished his season with 39 goals, leads the current standings. But because the award is points-based and accounts for league strength, Salah — along with Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé (29 goals) — could still eclipse the former Coventry striker’s score with a brace on Sunday.

Salah needs two goals against Crystal Palace to take pole position in the points ranking, given the Premier League’s higher weighting compared to the Portuguese top flight.

Legacy Etched in Numbers

Since joining Liverpool from Roma for £34 million in 2017, Salah’s impact has been extraordinary: 244 goals and 110 assists in 400 appearances — 354 goal contributions.

He’s already broken the 38-game Premier League season goal involvement record, surpassing Erling Haaland’s 44 in 2022-23 and Henry’s 44 in 2002-03.

His combined scoring and creative prowess places him among football’s elite. In Europe’s top five leagues, only Lionel Messi (102) and Cristiano Ronaldo (65) have recorded more matches in which they both scored and assisted than Salah (49) since data collection began in 2006-07.

To be mentioned alongside such icons is testament to his longevity and consistency — words rarely associated with modern forwards in the relentless churn of top-flight football.

One game remains. Records may yet fall. But even if they don’t, Salah’s 2024 campaign deserves to be remembered as one of the most complete individual seasons in Premier League history.