LIVERPOOL, England — It took Mohamed Salah just 34 minutes to intervene in a debate that had raged for days in the run-up to the UEFA Champions League clash between Liverpool and Lille.
After the Egyptian’s teammate Curtis JonesDuring questioning, former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand admitted he believed the Chelsea legend Eden Hazard For being a superior footballer, Salah’s online critics wasted no time in presenting these comments as vindication.
“That’s a discussion I’ve had with Mo and all the guys,” Jones told TNT Sports. “As a footballer, is he better than Mo? In my opinion, yes. But who would you rather have on your team?”
Certainly, Jones left the world in no doubt as to which of the strikers he would prefer to share a pitch with on Tuesday night, celebrating feverishly with Salah after helping him score the opener in a 2-1 win that ensured Liverpool automatic progression. in the round of 16 of the Champions League.
Salah’s goal – an exquisite finish after a lovely ball from Jones – was a rare moment of quality in a first half that took time to come to life.
Lille supporters arrived at Anfield in fine voice, twirling scarves and setting off flares in the away camp as their team prepared to take on the Premier League leaders. Bruno Genesio’s side were unbeaten in 21 games before their clash with Liverpool, and it was easy to see why as they frustrated their hosts in the opening exchanges on Merseyside.
But few teams in world football can suppress Salah at the moment, and that proved when the Egyptian put the ball past him. Lucas Chevalier to score his 50th European goal with Liverpool. It was another milestone in a season that has been littered with them for the 32-year-old, who marked the achievement by perching on the billboards outside the Anfield Road stand and basking in the adulation of his supporters and his teammates. .
Salah could have scored a hat-trick, such was the scale of the threat he posed to the Ligue 1 side for much of the match. The Egypt international looked destined to score when he pounced on a superb pass from the industrialist Luis Diaz Just before half-time, he held off his man brilliantly before sending a shot just wide of the post.
Also in the second half, Salah was happy to torment the Lille defense, curling another shot narrowly wide and forcing a fine save from Chevalier. But it was a substitute Harvey Elliott – a player who has at times been seen as Salah’s protégé since his arrival from Fulham in 2019 – who scored Liverpool’s second goal of the evening, restoring the hosts’ lead after Jonathan David had brought Lille back to level in the 62nd minute.
It was an equalizer that came against the run of play, just minutes after Lille had been reduced to 10 men after Aïssa Mandi earned a second yellow card for a cynical challenge on Diaz. For that very reason, it looked like it would only be a matter of time before Liverpool got their noses back in front, and their dominance was rewarded when Elliott’s strike rippled into the back of the net after deflecting off the foot of Ngal. Ayel Mukau.
While Slot will surely have been frustrated to see his team concede, Liverpool’s defensive strength in the Champions League this season is evidenced by the fact that they set a new club record for most minutes without conceding on Tuesday night of goals in Europe, beating the 572. established under Rafael Benitez during the 2005-06 edition of the competition.
The victory also ensured Liverpool equaled their best streak of seven matches in the Champions League era, having won their first seven matches of the 2021-22 campaign. Add to that the fact that Slot’s side are six points clear at the top of the Premier League, and still in both domestic cup competitions, and it’s hard to overstate the scale of the Dutchman’s achievements since he replaced Jurgen Klopp in the dugout last summer.
Of course, every scintillating performance from Salah is a worrying reminder that his days at Liverpool are – at least for now – numbered. The attacker, alongside his teammates Trent Alexander-Arnold And Virgil van Dijkis out of contract this summer and although he has made no secret of his affinity with the Anfield club and its fans, the prospect of a future without him continues to weigh on Merseyside.
“Special, I think, is the word that best describes Mo’s performance at this club,” Slot said after the match. “He has been exceptional for this club for so many years.”
Indeed, with each passing week, Salah’s continued importance to this team becomes clearer. Debate over his place among the world’s elite strikers will persist, but there is no denying that Liverpool would be wise to ensure they commit their future to Slot’s side as soon as possible.
