Mohamed Salah has written his name into Premier League history. The Egyptian forward surpassed Wayne Rooney's record for goal contributions at a single club, taking his Liverpool tally to 277 with an assist in Saturday's 2-0 victory over Brighton.
Record falls on dramatic return
Salah was not supposed to start. Left on the bench following his explosive comments last weekend, he was thrust into action after just 26 minutes when Joe Gomez limped off injured. The Anfield crowd rose to applaud his introduction, a show of support after a turbulent week.
The Egyptian delivered when it mattered. His corner in the second half found Hugo Ekitike, whose header doubled Liverpool's advantage and secured all three points. More significantly, that assist took Salah past Rooney's mark of 276 goal contributions for Manchester United.
Numbers that define a legend
Salah's record now stands at 188 goals and 89 assists in the Premier League for Liverpool. No player in the competition's history has contributed more for a single club. Rooney's 276 came from 183 goals and 93 assists across 13 seasons at Old Trafford. Salah has surpassed him in just eight campaigns.
Ryan Giggs sits third on 271, also for United. Harry Kane managed 259 at Tottenham before his Bayern Munich move, while Thierry Henry recorded 249 during his Arsenal career. Elite company for a player whose future remains uncertain.
Final act before AFCON departure
This was Salah's last appearance before joining Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations. Whether it proves his final game in a Liverpool shirt altogether remains to be seen. His interview at Elland Road suggested he felt undervalued. The standing ovation at full-time suggested fans see things differently.
Arne Slot insisted this week he has no desire to sell Salah in January. The Egyptian's response on the pitch offered a reminder of exactly what Liverpool would lose. Records are broken by generational talents. Salah has just proved, once again, that he is exactly that.
