LONDON: Liverpool legend Ian Rush believes Mohamed Salah can pass his club-record of 47 goals in a season, and hopes the Egyptian’s incredible stats will be backed up by silverware.
The Egyptian scored four against Watford last weekend to take his tally to 36 goals in 41 appearances in an incredible debut season at Anfield.
“The 47 goals is difficult and I thought that might stay, but the way Salah is playing now anything can happen. I think it is realistic,” said Rush.
“I watched him against Watford and it is the best I’ve seen him play.”
However, with Liverpool 18 points adrift of runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City and having been dumped out early in the League and FA Cups, the Champions League is Jurgen Klopp’s men’s only chance of a trophy this season.
Liverpool face a huge challenge to make the last four, though, as they face City in a mouthwatering quarter-final.
“When I scored 47 goals we won the European Cup so it does need that little bit longer.
“We won three trophies that season and that’s what we’ve got to start doing now.”
However, Rush believes Liverpool, who inflicted City’s only league defeat this season in a 4-3 thriller at Anfield, can prolong City’s wait to win the European Cup.
“Manchester City is going to be one hell of a game in the Champions League but on the day, 11 versus 11, Liverpool are capable of beating anyone,” he added.
“Manchester City will be favorites to win and maybe have a stronger squad but at the end of the day on these European nights Liverpool are capable of doing everything as history has shown.”
— AFP
Mohamed Salah can surpass my Liverpool record, says legend Ian Rush
Mohamed Salah can surpass my Liverpool record, says legend Ian Rush
‘Winning mindset’: Yazeed Al-Rajhi ready to defend title at Dakar 2026
- Race runs from Jan. 3-17, will start and conclude in Yanbu
YANBU: Saudi rally star Yazeed Al-Rajhi is gearing up to defend his Dakar Rally title as the 2026 edition of the race kicks off in Yanbu on Jan. 3.
Last year’s victory confirmed Al-Rajhi as the first Saudi driver to win the overall car category (Ultimate), the highest class in what is considered the world’s toughest rally.
Al-Rajhi said: “We are approaching Dakar 2026 with great determination and an even greater sense of responsibility after our achievement in 2025. Winning the title was a historic moment, but the real challenge now is defending it. The car is fully ready, the team is working as one, and our objective from the start is clear: to fight for victory and secure a strong opening to the W2RC season.”
He highlighted the complete readiness of co-driver Timo Gottschalk as the team looks to repeat last year’s success in their Overdrive Toyota Hilux.
Gottschalk said: “The preparation for this season has been intense and extremely precise. We focused on every aspect Dakar demands in terms of concentration and discipline. Our synergy is at its best, and we are ready to manage the rally stage by stage, intending to fight for victory from day one.”
The Dakar Rally 2026, set to run from Jan. 3-17, will cover 7,994 km, with 4,840 km of timed stages across Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes. It will consist of 13 competitive stages, in addition to a prologue stage, with a rest day in the capital city. The rally will start and conclude in Yanbu, featuring seven loop stages and two marathon stages, which significantly increase the level of difficulty and place greater physical and technical demands on crews and teams.
Al-Rajhi has also expressed his desire to compete for the title of the World Rally-Raid Championship W2RC. Since the championship’s launch in 2022, he has finished runner-up twice and third overall once, highlighting his consistency at the highest level. The Saudi star said that his clear objective this season is to claim the W2RC title, with Dakar serving as the opening round of the championship.
Al-Rajhi acknowledged that competition this year will be extremely intense, but added that the goal has been clear from the outset: to defend the Dakar title and move forward steadily toward winning the World Rally-Raid Championship.
“Early preparation and attention to the smallest technical and physical details give us strong confidence heading into the rally,” he added. “We know the competition will be tough, but we enter Dakar with a winning mindset, aiming to deliver a complete season that reflects the name of Saudi Arabia and matches our global ambitions.”
Al-Rajhi extended his sincere gratitude and appreciation to Jameel Motorsport, his official partner, for their unwavering support. He credited their backing as one of the key pillars behind his continued success and achievements in the Kingdom.
