‘It feels great’ – Mohamed Salah on capping derby legacy with final blow against Everton

Mohamed Salah delivered a fitting farewell in one of English football’s fiercest rivalries, scoring in his final Merseyside derby as Liverpool FC edged Everton FC 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday.

With his departure from Anfield already confirmed for the end of the season, Salah ensured his last appearance against Liverpool’s city rivals carried a familiar narrative.

The Egyptian forward opened the scoring in the 29th minute, calmly finishing to steady his side after a difficult start against an energetic Everton outfit at the newly opened Hill Dickinson Stadium.

“It feels great,” Salah told Sky Sports when asked about marking his final derby with a goal. “The most important thing was to help the team to settle down and feel more confident. We knew before the game it was going to be tricky, difficult, and I’m glad we were able to win it.”

The strike saw Salah draw level with Steven Gerrard as Liverpool’s joint-leading scorer in Premier League Merseyside derbies with nine goals, further underlining his enduring impact in one of football’s most heated fixtures.

Despite Everton’s early pressure, Liverpool regained composure following Salah’s intervention before captain Virgil van Dijk sealed victory with a late winner.

Van Dijk was quick to highlight Salah’s influence beyond his goal contribution, praising the forward’s role within the squad during a period of transition.

“There will be a lot of words coming out of my mouth in the next couple of weeks about him, but he’s so important for us, on and off the pitch,” Van Dijk said.

“The appreciation sometimes comes when players are gone, but we appreciate him so much. He’s an outstanding teammate to have, we’ve been through everything together, highs and lows. He will still be important for the last five games we have to play.”

Salah’s recent uptick in form, with three goals in his last three league starts, suggests he is determined to end his Liverpool chapter on a high. His focus now turns to securing Champions League qualification before his departure.

“I wish I just keep scoring, and help the team to achieve Champions League this season – hopefully I say farewell in the right way,” he added.