Mohamed Salah scored 2 goals against Bournemouth in round 24 of the Premier League, helping Liverpool decode this phenomenon right at the Vitality Stadium. The double helped the Egyptian striker firmly hold the top spot in the race for the Golden Boot, 2 goals ahead of the runner-up Erling Haaland (Man City).
After the match, the away team's captain Arne Slot spoke briefly about his student: "Having Mo Salah in the squad will be very helpful in solving matches like this."
This is not the first time Salah has played so well for Liverpool. For the past 8 years, the 32-year-old star has been the leader of The Kop every season. Salah is the one who went through the glorious period of Jurgen Klopp and now remains as a historical witness to the early period of Arne Slot.
When Liverpool took a 1-goal lead, there was some anxiety as Bournemouth had some very dangerous situations. In the context that The Kop could drop the victory at any time, Salah appeared again, curling the ball into the far corner of the opponent's goal beautifully. That masterpiece of the 32-year-old striker seemed to sink all the hopes of Bournemouth and made the away team's players breathe a sigh of relief.
The brace not only helped Salah maintain his top spot in the race for the Golden Boot, it also marked the fifth time in eight consecutive seasons that the Egyptian star has scored at least 20 goals/season in the Premier League for Liverpool. However, this is the first time since the 2021-2022 season that Salah has scored at least 20 goals.
"It feels great to score and help the team win. I said from the beginning that my goal this season is to win the Premier League with the team. We are on the right track" - Salah shared after the win over Bournemouth.
This season, Salah's goal-per-90 ratio is 0.93. His peak season in the Premier League was 2017-18 with a ratio of 0.99. That year, Salah ended the season with 44 goals in all competitions. This season, the Egyptian striker has 0.58 assists/90 minutes, the highest ratio ever in his career. Salah currently has no more terrifying sprints on the touchline, but the danger is still the same, even more diverse.
Back to Salah's contract, he has not yet renewed with Liverpool and is free to negotiate with any club. At the moment, Al Hilal of the Saudi Pro League are very eager to have the signature of the 32-year-old star. Coming to Saudi Arabia to play football, Salah does not have to worry about salary, the problem is that he will consider what legacy he has in the Premier League.
Although he has not left Liverpool or retired, Salah is already considered one of the club's greatest legends. If he continues to stay and win more major trophies, Salah's position at Anfield will be further consolidated. One of the reasons why famous players leave the club after a peak is the issue of motivation. However, when the glorious period with Jurgen Klopp is over, Salah is still the leader of a new dynasty that is very successful under Arne Slot.
Salah deserves a new contract to go one better with Liverpool. The Saudi Arabian offer is enticing but right now it is hard to imagine the Egyptian King waving goodbye to Anfield come May.
