Mohamed Salah praised by Liverpool manager after key performance against Chelsea
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah earned high praise from his coach, Arne Slot, after delivering a crucial performance in the team’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea in the Premier League. Salah, instrumental in both attack and defense during the match, played a pivotal role in ensuring Liverpool maintained their strong start to the season.
The win over Chelsea, which took place on Sunday as part of the eighth round of the Premier League, helped Liverpool retain their lead in the table, narrowly ahead of reigning champions Manchester City.
This victory marked the Reds’ seventh triumph in eight matches, with just one defeat so far, a record that Salah has greatly contributed to.
In the match, Salah scored the opening goal in the 29th minute, converting a penalty to put Liverpool ahead.
After Chelsea equalized through Senegalese forward Nicolas Jackson in the 51st minute, Salah responded just two minutes later with a brilliant assist, setting up the decisive goal that secured Liverpool’s win.
With this performance, the Egyptian international has now tallied seven goals and six assists in just 11 appearances across all competitions this season, demonstrating his consistent ability to influence games.
La passe décisive de Salah pour Jones. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/BbiPtAxMjJ
— Onze Masr 🇪🇬 (@onzemasr) October 21, 2024
Slot, clearly impressed by Salah’s all-around contribution, went beyond the usual praise for his attacking prowess.
While Salah’s offensive numbers are stellar, having now become the ninth-highest scorer in Premier League history, tied with Jermain Defoe, it was his defensive effort that caught his manager’s eye.
In a post-match interview, Slot humorously compared Salah’s performance to that of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool’s renowned right-back. “I told Trent: you have competition now, because I saw that Mo Salah can also play as a right-back!” Slot joked, highlighting the Egyptian forward’s defensive commitment.
The Dutch manager continued by expressing his admiration for Salah’s work ethic, noting that his defensive contributions were as significant as his attacking impact.
“The defensive effort that he made today to help the team is what pleased me as much as his goal and his assist,” Slot said, underscoring how Salah’s all-around performance has been crucial to Liverpool’s success.
For Salah, who has earned 101 caps and scored 58 goals for Egypt, this season represents one of his best starts since joining Liverpool.
His ability to both score and create goals, combined with a willingness to track back and support the team defensively, makes him an indispensable player for the Reds.
As Liverpool continues its bid for Premier League glory, Salah’s form will undoubtedly remain central to their campaign.
🔴🇪🇬 Arne Slot: “I said to Trent: you have some competition now, because I saw that Mo Salah can play as a right full-back as well!”.
“The defensive effort he put in today to help the team in that part is what pleased me just as much as his goal and assist”. pic.twitter.com/UVaBMhhDnc
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 21, 2024
