Mohamed Salah highs and lows at Liverpool: Goals galore, final redemption, manager spats

And so, the Mohamed Salah story at Liverpool will reach its finale this summer after nine sensational seasons on Merseyside.

The Egyptian attacker has written his name into Liverpool – and Premier League – history since his £36.9 million move from Italian side Roma in 2017.

What followed would exceed the expectations of even the most fervent of Liverpool fans as Salah would help inspire a period of remarkable success at the Premier League club.

Where next for 'Liverpool's greatest' Mohamed Salah?

Goals and trophies would become the norm as Salah lifted two Premier League titles, along with a Fifa Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup, Uefa Champions League, FA Cup and two League Cups. His Liverpool tally currently stands at 255 goals, making him the club's third all-time top scorer.

But on Tuesday evening, the 33-year-old announced on social media that “the day has come” for him to leave the club who in turn described him as one of their “greatest players”.

“Leaving is never easy,” Salah said to fans in his statement. “You gave me the best time of my life. I will be always one of you … Thank you for everything. Because of all of you, I will never walk alone.”

Below, we take a look at the highs and lows of his Liverpool career that has seen him make 455 appearances across all competitions.

▶

Goals galore in flying start

Salah's first spell in England was an unsuccessful couple of years at Chelsea where he scored just twice in 19 appearances. But any thoughts that he might struggle again in Liverpool red were blown away in a prolific opening campaign.

Salah secured the Premier League Golden Boot award (with 32 goals in 36 games, notching 44 times across all competitions), the PFA Players' Player of the Year and Football Writers' Player of the Year. “It was always in my mind to succeed in England,” said Salah. “I’ve had a great season.” Manager Jurgen Klopp described his efforts as “absolutely fantastic”.

The only thing missing from his debut season was a trophy as the team finished fourth in the Premier League and were beaten by Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

▶

Ramos deals final blow

That 2018 final in Kiev would produce one of the most painful moments – mentally and physically – in Salah's Liverpool career.

Midway through the first half, and with the score still 0-0, Real captain Sergio Ramos would wrestle Salah down to the ground by his arm. The Liverpool man tried to carry on but collapsed to the ground four minutes later before leaving the field in tears after sustaining a dislocated shoulder that threatened his participation in the upcoming World Cup in Russia.

Without their top scorer, Liverpool went on to lose 3-1 with the second half remembered for Gareth Bale's stunning overhead-kick for Real and the calamitous performance of goalkeeper Loris Karius for the Merseysiders. Manager Klopp described Ramos's actions as “ruthless and brutal”.

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah injured his shoulder in this challenge with Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos in the 2018 Champions League final. Reuters

Redemption time in Madrid

Little over 12 months later and Liverpool were back in the Champions League final, this time facing Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur in 2019.

After the previous season's controversy, it was fitting that this match was being held in Madrid, albeit at the Metropolitano Stadium, home of Real's capital rivals Atletico.

The game was 24 seconds old when Moussa Sissoko handled in the penalty area, giving Liverpool the opportunity to draw first blood in the match. Up stepped Salah to power the ball past Hugo Lloris after two minutes for the second fastest goal in a Champions League final.

A second goal followed three minutes from time from Divock Origi, sealing Liverpool's sixth European Cup and Salah's first trophy at the club.

“Everyone is happy now, I am glad to play the second final in a row and play 90 minutes finally,” said Salah, who also shared the Premier League Golden Boot that season – with teammate Sadio Mane and Arsenal's Pierre-Emirick Aubameyang – scoring 22 goals.

“I have sacrificed a lot for my career, to come from a village to go to Cairo, and to be an Egyptian at this level is unbelievable for me.”

▶

Ending title drought

The following campaign – that would be halted for more than three months due to the Covid-19 pandemic – would be a historic one as Liverpool secured their first top-flight title since 1990 and the club's 19th in total.

They finished a mammoth 18 points clear of second-placed Manchester City with Salah again the club's top scorer with 19 goals in 34 league games. He also became the first Liverpool player since Michael Owen to score 20 goals across all competitions in three successive seasons.

“When I came here, I said I wanted to win the Premier League,” said Salah. “It was the first thing in my head, I wanted to win the Premier League and the Champions League. People said, ‘If you could choose one?’ But now I can say that I’d choose both.”

Touchline clash with Klopp

As Klopp's Liverpool reign neared its end in 2024, the German coach decided to leave Salah on the bench for an April away league draw at West Ham United that all but ended their title hopes.

The Egyptian was preparing to come on as a 79th-minute substitute when he became embroiled in a touchline argument with his manager that ended with Salah being ushered away by teammates Darwin Nunez and Joe Gomez.

“There’s going to be a fire today if I speak,” Salah – who would again finish as top scorer with 31 goals that season – said to reporters after the match. A few days later, Klopp insisted the argument has been “completely resolved”.

“There's no problem. We are absolutely fine with it. It's a non-story,” said the German. “If we didn't know each other for that long I am not sure how we would deal with it but we have known each other for that long and respect each other so much that it's really no problem.”

Mohamed Salah argues with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp during a Premier League match against West Ham in 2024 in London. Getty Images

Champions once again

Having secured the Premier League crown in front of empty stadiums due to Covid in 2020, Liverpool sealed a record-equalling 20th title in front of a packed Anfield after thrashing Spurs 5-1.

Klopp's replacement Arne Slot was the man in charge this time as Salah ended months of speculation about a potential move to Saudi Arabia by signing a new contract in April.

He equalled Thierry Henry's record of four Golden Boots with 29 goals while once again winning both the PFA and Football Writers' Player of the Year awards.

“It is incredible to win this with our fans,” Salah said after beating Spurs. “This is 100 per cent better than last time, especially with the fans. We have a different group now so to show we can do it again is something special.”

'Thrown under bus' and Slot saga

The beginning of the end of Salah's time at Liverpool occurred in the corridors of Elland Road late last year after a 3-3 draw with Leeds United in December.

After Slot left Salah on the bench for a third consecutive match, not appearing at all against the Yorkshiremen, the Egyptian decided the time was right to launch a broadside at Slot and the club.

“I’m very, very disappointed,” Salah told stunned reporters. “I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season. Now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus.”

As for Slot, he would add: “I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden we don’t have any relationship. It seems to me someone doesn’t want me in the club.”

The comments resulted in Salah being dropped for the midweek Champions League win at Inter Milan before being reinstated to the squad for the next Premier League game away to Brighton.

Salah, inevitably, came off the bench and provided the assist for Hugo Ekitike's second goal in a 2-0 win. “Mohamed is a great, great professional,” Ekitike said after the game.

“I look to him as an example. You can see how much he is involved in goals and assists. He is a legend here. To share the pitch is a blessing. That's the kind of player who makes us like to watch football.”