Mohamed Salah stars again for Liverpool with contract talk back in focus

Egyptian scores in 5-0 thrashing of West Ham, says contract agreement with club 'far away'

Liverpool's Diogo Jota celebrates with Mohamed Salah during the 5-0 win over West Ham United. AFP

Mohamed Salah concluded 2024 with another scintillating performance as Liverpool thrashed West Ham 5-0 to stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League table to eight points.

Arne Slot's side seem well on track for a record-equalling 20th title, recording their 23rd win in 27 matches in all competitions this season.

Luis Diaz opened the scoring against Julen Lopetegui's team on the half-hour, before Salah set up Cody Gakpo for the second with some sizzling footwork.

The Egypt international then scored his 20th goal of the season shortly before half-time to put the visitors in total control.

Liverpool throttled back after the break but still carved out several chances and Trent Alexander-Arnold's shot deflected off the head of Max Kilman to make it 4-0 in the 54th minute. Slot made a number of substitutions in the second half but Salah stayed on to torment West Ham and produced a mazy dribble before releasing Diogo Jota to curl in the fifth in the 84th minute.

Salah also has 17 assists to go with his 20 goals this season.

While Liverpool celebrated yet another clinical performance, the spotlight fell back on Salah's future at Anfield.

The Egyptian superstar revealed talks over a new Liverpool contract have not moved on significantly.

Salah, along with team-mates Virgil van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold, is out of contract at the end of the season, meaning they could discuss a free transfer with non-English clubs from January 1.

Reports in recent weeks have suggested an agreement is getting closer between the 32-year-old and the Reds, but Salah shot down those suggestions.

"We are far away from that," Salah told Sky Sports. "I don't want to put something in the media and people start saying stuff, but nothing really has moved on.

"Now I am focused on the team and hopefully we win the Premier League."

"The only thing in my mind is that I want Liverpool to win the league and I want to be part of it. That is the only thing I have focused on. I will do my best to win the trophy. We are in the right direction but there are other teams trying to catch up with us. We just need to stay humble and go again."

Manager Slot said he has little control over the futures of Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold.

"I think I have a lot of control over what they do if they're on the training pitch, if there in a meeting with me," said Slot. "But talking about their private lives, I don't have control.

"That's been the situation as a long as I've been a manager but I have control to an extent (in terms of) what I expect from them on the pitch. It's really pleasing to see what Virgil brings, what Trent brings and what Mo brings."

Slot said that, given the team's strong position, there was unlikely to be much transfer activity in January.

"There's nothing in the media yet about who we're going to bring in? No? And also not in my mind," he said. "I'm very happy with the squad we have, I said this six months ago and everybody was like 'is this guy crazy?'

"But I think the players show the confidence the club and me had in them was all deserved. If you look at Jarell Quansah (who replaced the injured Joe Gomez in the first half), he hadn't played a lot until now, a few appearances.

"The way he played to day shows how important it is that we keep working with these players, because we're going to need all of them at a certain moment."