Mohamed Salah has closed the last chapter in his Merseyside derby journey in the most familiar way: scoring goals and leaving a mark.
The recent derby was not just a simple confrontation, but also a historical milestone. For the first time, Everton welcomed Liverpool at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium, opening a new chapter after more than 130 years of attachment to Goodison Park. But despite the changing scene, the familiar scenario is still repeated.
Wind from the Mersey River still blows. The heat of the derby is still there and Salah still scores. The Egyptian player opened the score, Beto equalized, before Virgil van Dijk jumped high in the 90+10 minute, sealing a 2-1 victory for Liverpool, making the blue half of Merseyside silent.
For Salah, that could be the last time he participates in this derby. And once again he put his name in history, equaling the 9-goal record in Merseyside derbies in the Premier League, equaling Steven Gerrard.
The goal came in the 29th minute, in a very Salah-like way - cold, accurate and cruel. At the age of 33, in the context of facing many doubts, he still punished Everton with his signature scoring instinct.
A new stadium, but with Salah, that does not make a difference. He scores anywhere, in any situation. That is already his 9th goal in this derby. Only legends like Ian Rush, Dixie Dean or Alex Young are above Salah in the history of this confrontation.
Not only that, Salah has scored at 42 different stadiums for Liverpool - a testament to rare endurance and stability. However, throughout his illustrious career, there is still a familiar criticism: Where is Salah in big matches? And the Merseyside derby is the answer.
From a double in the 4-1 victory at Goodison Park in the 2020-2021 season, to two goals at Anfield in 2023, Salah always knows how to shine in the most emotional matches. Derbys always arouse pride, are the emotions of a whole city, a place where form yields to instinct, tactics yield to emotion.
And Salah - with 9 goals - is clear proof of his ability to shine in that pressure.
I always feel scared before every derby. Not nervous, but afraid of losing" - Gerrard once said. Salah cannot escape that feeling, but he knows how to turn it into motivation.
In the history of this derby, many African players have left their mark. Sadio Mane with 4 goals. Joseph Yobo with a memorable moment. Idrissa Gueye with persistence. Iliman Ndiaye with improvisation. However, no one has the same influence as Salah. And perhaps, it will be a long time before someone does the same.
Everton can hope for new names like Beto - who is strongly reviving under David Moyes and scoring the equalizer in this match. Or Ndiaye - a potential "artist" in future derbies. But reaching Salah's stature is a completely different story.
Liverpool has also begun to prepare for the future. Rio Ngumoha's appearance opens a new chapter. He became the youngest player to participate in the Merseyside derby, carrying the expectation of inheriting Salah's legacy.
Honestly, the feeling is great. The most important thing is to help the team stabilize and maintain confidence, because before the match we knew this would be a difficult confrontation. I am very happy that the whole team finally won" - Salah shared.
