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Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
A ninth opening day goal gives Salah another record but he says what matters most is the win—and to keep scoring and winning.
For Liverpool, Saturday’s 2-0 victory over newly promoted Ipswich Town was the perfect way to start a new Premier League season under a new manager in Arne Slot—and part of getting there was thanks to a Mohamed Salah opening day goal for the ninth time.
Liverpool’s legendary 32-year-old forward registered a goal in the first matchweek for his ninth consecutive season. It also marked his 300th goal contribution for the Reds in 350 total appearances. The more (some) things change, the more (others) stay the same.
“Hopefully I’ll keep going through the whole season, not just the first game,” Salah joked after the match. “I try to help the team all the time. The most important thing is that the team wins [but] I’m always happy to score goals and give assists so I need to carry on.”
Salah scoring for a ninth time in the season opener takes the Egyptian winger beyond Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, and Alan Shearer—all with eight opening day markers—and serves as yet another reminder that he ranks amongst the game’s all time great forwards.
It’s a long season, and for every player there will be dips in form, but it would be a foolish person who would bet against Salah again being in the thick of the golden boot race no matter any changes or tactical tweaks that come with the arrival of a new manager.
After their opening day victory, Liverpool are back in action next Sunday against Brentford in Slot’s first regular season game at Anfield for the Reds before heading to face historic rivals Manchester United on September 1st before the September international break.
“Now there is a new manager, a new system,” Salah added. “It’s different for all of us so we need to adapt. We just take it step by step because some players also came back late, so we just need to know his way of playing and enjoy the football and let’s see in the end.”
