Football fans worldwide, especially the Liverpool faithful, would have found themselves chuckling thanks to a humorous on-air comment by Paul Merson, as Mohamed Salah, fondly known as the Egyptian King, continued his incredible goal-scoring run. Merson’s jest came during the hotly contested match between Liverpool and Southampton at Anfield, where the home team had to fight hard to claim victory.
Despite the shock of Southampton taking the lead moments before half-time, Liverpool managed to turn the tide and secure a 3-1 win. The victory was significantly bolstered by Salah’s two penalty conversions, including one that was the final nail in the coffin for their opponents.
Salah’s scoring prowess this season has been nothing short of phenomenal, with his latest goals marking his 27th in the Premier League and the 32nd in all competitions. Merson, with his tongue firmly in cheek, inflated Salah’s impressive tally on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday, causing a ripple of laughter among fans.
The reality is that Salah’s actual goal tally is only 4% of what Merson humorously claimed. However, the jest underscores the prolificacy of the 32-year-old player. Achieving 32 goals before mid-March is an enormous feat, and Salah is just 12 goals shy of matching his remarkable record from his inaugural season at Anfield seven years ago. With a minimum of 11 matches, potentially up to 16, he has ample opportunity to reach this milestone.
Salah’s second penalty of the day not only secured Liverpool’s victory but also elevated his tally to 184 Premier League goals. This achievement puts him on par with Sergio Aguero and just three goals behind Andy Cole in the all-time standings, according to premierleague.com.
If Salah decides to extend his contract and continues to play for Liverpool even for another year, it seems almost certain that he will become the fourth player in the 33-year history of the Premier League to hit the 200-goal mark. Although this is far from the 800 goals Merson jokingly credited him with, it underscores what an extraordinary player Salah has been since he joined Liverpool from Roma in 2017.
It’s clear that Salah’s impact on the pitch is more than just about the numbers. His performance, consistency, and ability to deliver under pressure have made him an iconic figure in Liverpool and the world of football at large.