Salah's 150th EPL Goal and His Impending Absence: A Test for Liverpool's Title Aspirations
Jan 04, 2024
Mohamed Salah's milestone of scoring his 150th goal for Liverpool in the English Premier League was overshadowed by concerns about his potential absence due to his participation in the African Cup of Nations, highlighting the importance of his contributions to the team and the challenges Liverpool may face without him.
On the first day of the sixth New Year at Liverpool, Mohamed Salah celebrated a significant accomplishment as he scored his 150th goal in the English Premier League for the club. Despite a momentary setback caused by a missed penalty, Salah ultimately netted two goals and provided two assists in the second half of Liverpool's triumphant 4-2 win over Newcastle United, thereby attaining this noteworthy milestone.
Nevertheless, for supporters who anticipate Salah's probable absence for a duration of 30 days, this item holds significant value as, in the event that the Egyptian team manages to reach the finals of the African Cup of Nations for the third occasion, Salah will be obliged to travel to Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, to participate in the finals.
Before departing from Anfield Stadium, Salah expressed his gratitude towards playing for the national team by stating that it is a feeling he cherishes every time he wears their jersey and steps onto the field. Additionally, he acknowledged the possibility of Liverpool's standings changing during his absence, as he is expected to miss up to eight games, including four Premier League matches.
Despite his impressive display against Newcastle, which increased Liverpool's lead over second-placed Aston Villa to 3 points, Salah acknowledged the tight competition among the teams near the top of the standings. He expressed confidence in his teammates, emphasizing that there are exceptional players who can fill his position and replicate his contributions to the field.
Nevertheless, it is inconceivable that Klopp's team would be able to sustain their offensive prowess with such consistency in the absence of Salah. Klopp highlighted Salah's transformative impact on the game and made a crucial observation regarding the missed penalty in the first half, asserting that it fell within the capabilities of Newcastle's goalkeeper, Martin Dubravka, which ultimately left Liverpool without a lead at half-time, despite their advantageous position. This predicament adds to the apprehension about the high-stakes title race, and Liverpool's current advantage has been bolstered by two consecutive triumphs as well as Arsenal's two defeats within the span of three days.
Salah's significant impact is substantiated by statistical evidence. A considerable majority of Liverpool's goals in the Premier League this season derives from the efforts of the Egyptian, both as a goal scorer and a provider of assists. In overall competitive matches, Salah has netted 18 goals in 27 games, effectively double the tally of Jota, who currently holds second place. This development presents a worrisome prospect for Liverpool, considering their historical underperformance in January under Klopp's leadership, although they were somewhat fortunate to have avoided any detrimental effects during Salah's absence due to his involvement in the African Cup of Nations.
Furthermore, approximately 40 Premier League players have been selected to partake in the African or Asian Cup, posing a predicament for teams such as Tottenham and Manchester United as their players will be departing. While these teams may possess exceptional players to fill the void, there are none comparable to the likes of Salah, Son Heung-min, and Huang Xican, who stand among the six elite English football players to have achieved double-digit goal scores thus far.
Hence, the implications of African and Asian football matches for the Premier League within the forthcoming four to six weeks hold substantial significance. Consequently, teams positioned at the top of the league need to strategize measures to compensate for the absence of their players. It is plausible that Salah's non-existence could potentially exert a more profound influence on Liverpool's performance throughout this season.
