LONDON: Mohamed Salah will continue his record goalscoring form until the end of the season, according to his manager Jurgen Klopp.
The Egyptian star has scored 23 goals for Liverpool in all competitions since arriving at Anfield in the summer, equalling a club record set by Roger Hunt in 1961/62 for the most goals in a campaign before the turn of the year.
And despite a minor injury concern for the striker in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Leicester on Saturday, Klopp was full of praise for his player and said he could not envisage Salah’s form dropping in the second half of the season.
“Mo can keep that standard for sure. It’s not just about scoring only, it’s about other situations. He is so important for us,” he said. “He knows and I know he could not score without support of the other boys. But yes, I think he can keep the standard.”
Salah’s fine domestic form — 17 Premier League goals and six in the Champions League — has been mirrored on the international stage too. In 11 appearances for his country this year, he has notched five goals, including an injury-time penalty against Congo that sent the Pharaohs to their first World Cup since 1990.
Egypt’s head coach Hector Cuper has also praised Salah, tipping him to become a “great” and good enough to play for the very best teams. Cuper told Spanish newspaper Marca: “Without doubt he is the star of the team. Salah is a very good player who has the ability to play for Real Madrid.”
Salah, whose talent came into question during his torrid spell at Chelsea in 2014 amid criticism about his ability, has silenced any doubters after an outstanding first half of the season back in England. Since his time at Stamford Bridge, he has had successful stints at Italian sides Fiorentina and Roma, before joining Liverpool last year.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Salah said Klopp’s clear vision helped him settle at his new club. “At the beginning when I signed (for Liverpool) it was a bit different to Rome. But soon I knew what the coach wanted from me and the quality of players makes everything easier for me. From the first day I knew what I wanted to do and I scored goals in the pre-season, so I had a good start.”
And Salah is predicting a successful year for himself and his new club. “I am always saying I want to win titles here. I came here to win titles. To win something for the club, for us, for the fans. I would love to win something here. We are working hard every day to win something and I am sure we will this year,” he added.
Egypt star Mohamed Salah sets the standard at Liverpool
Egypt star Mohamed Salah sets the standard at Liverpool
Bayern demolishes Wolfsburg 8-1 to go 11 points clear in Bundesliga
- Bayern hasn’t lost a Bundesliga game since March and remains the only unbeaten team in any of Europe’s five biggest leagues
Michael Olize scored twice as Bayern Munich started the new year by routing Wolfsburg 8-1 with six second-half goals to move 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
Olize, Harry Kane and Luis Díaz picked apart the Wolfsburg defense on Sunday in a display of dominance which leaves Bayern firmly on course to defend the title in only the 16th game of the 34-game season.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was pleased his players didn’t let up.
“It’s these moments where it’s five, six, 7-1, and they keep running, they keep pressing and keep trying to score goals,” he told broadcaster DAZN. “I have to say, I like that.”
In freezing temperatures for Bayern’s first game since the winter break, Olize got a brace and Kane and Díaz one apiece, along with goals for substitutes Raphael Guerreiro and Leon Goretzka, and two Wolfsburg own-goals.
Bayern only had two nervous moments all game. The first was Dzenan Pejcinovic’s goal for Wolfsburg in the 13th, which leveled the score at 1-1 after right back Konrad Laimer missed an interception.
The other was a brief injury scare for Kane, who needed treatment after being caught on the ankle by defender Moritz Jenz midway through the first half but was soon back in action.
It was Bayern’s biggest margin of victory in a Bundesliga game since Kompany took over ahead of the 2024-25 season. His team has scored a remarkable 63 goals in 16 league games this season, nearly four per game, and conceded only 12.
Bayern hasn’t lost a Bundesliga game since March and remains the only unbeaten team in any of Europe’s five biggest leagues. Wolfsburg is 14th, three points above the relegation zone, as a troubled season hits a new low.
Bayern’s closest rivals all had difficulties this weekend as second-place Borussia Dortmund drew 3-3 with Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen lost 4-1 to Stuttgart and Leipzig’s game was postponed due to snow.
Wolfsburg’s American midfielder Kevin Paredes entered in the 77th minute, his first match this season after recovering from foot surgery in August.
Also Sunday, United States full back Joe Scally scored his first goal since 2023 as Borussia Moenchengladbach beat Augsburg 4-0. Gladbach moved up two places to 10th after winning at home for only the second time this season.
