LONDON – Mohamed Salah has joined an illustrious list of players to have achieved an impressive feat in the English Premier League.
The Liverpool forward scored and assisted on his return from injury as the Reds ran rampant at Brentford, winning 4-1.
Salah replaced the injured Diogo Jota in the first half and went on to assist Alexis Mac Allister in the second before bagging his own goal to make it 3-0.
The Egyptian star became just the fourth player in Premier League history to both score and assist in 30 games or more.
Only Alan Shearer (31), Thierry Henry (32), and Wayne Rooney (36) stand before him in this metric in the pantheon of greats.
It has been another strong season for Salah, who has 19 goals and 10 assists to his name.
Jota and Curtis Jones were brought off in the first half. Jota was taken off on a stretcher while Jones was seen after the game on crutches and in a protective boot.
To make matters worse, Darwin Nunez was subbed off at half-time despite scoring a splending lobbed goal, with Jurgen Klopp confirming he was removed due to a ‘small issue’.
‘[It is] Mixed emotions because we lost players, and we don’t know how serious it is,” Klopp said according to Daily Mail. ‘It doesn’t look great for either of them [Jones and Jota].’
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Domink Szoboszlai, Joel Matip, Thiago, Ben Doak, and Stefan Bajcetic are all injured as well, giving Klopp a huge headache.
Klopp is glad to have Salah back after he suffered an injury scare with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
Salah was flown back to Merseyside for treatment after coming off in Egypt’s 2-2 group stage draw with Ghana and only made his return against Brentford.
Liverpool initially extended their advantage to five points over Arsenal and Manchester City with the win, although the Gunners slashed that with a demolition job of their own, trouncing Burnley 5-0 at Turf Moor.
ARSENAL PRESSURES
Liverpool’s lead over Arsenal was only two points after the Gunners’ latest rout.
After hammering West Ham 6-0 last week, Arsenal won 5-0 at Burnley. Bukayo Saka scored twice at Turf Moor.
Martin Odegaard, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz were also on target, AP reported.
It was a sixth straight win for Arsenal and the third time in that sequence that it has scored five or more goals.
Arsenal has already shown its title credentials by beating defending champion Manchester City and Liverpool.
MAN CITY LOSES GROUND
Manchester City barely avoided a first defeat of 2024 after Rodri’s deflected effort salvaged a 1-1 draw against Chelsea.
The midfielder’s 83rd-minute goal extended the defending champions’ unbeaten run in all competitions to 15 games. But the draw at Etihad Stadium saw City lose ground on league leader Liverpool and second-placed Arsenal, both winners earlier.
City dropped to third on the table, four points behind Liverpool and two off Arsenal.
Former City forward Raheem Sterling gave Chelsea the lead when curling home in the 42nd.
He had the chance to extend the visitors’ advantage after the break, but was denied by City goalkeeper Ederson from point-blank range.
Ederson then recovered to get to his feet and save from Ben Chilwell on the rebound.
City saw a host of chances go by as it went in search of an equalizer, with Erling Haaland missing twice from close range and Kevin De Bruyne curling a free kick just over the bar.
The defending champions eventually found the breakthrough when Rodri blasted goalwards from inside the box and his effort deflected off Trevoh Chalobah past Chelsea keeper Dorde Petrovic.
TOP FOUR
The race for the top four was tightening.
While it looks like being a shootout between Liverpool, City and Arsenal for the title, the battle for Champions League qualification could also make tense viewing.
Aston Villa moved back up to fourth after winning at Fulham 2-1, and Tottenham lost at home to Wolves 2-1.
Just two points separate Villa and Spurs, while Manchester United could boost its chances of a top four finish by beating Luton on Sunday.
Sixth-placed United has won its last three in the league and could move to within three points of Tottenham with a win at Kenilworth Road.
NEWCASTLE STRUGGLES
Newcastle’s problems at home continued when it had to twice come from behind to draw with Bournemouth 2-2 at St James’ Park.
Matt Richie’s goal in the second minute of stoppage time earned a point, but couldn’t end a four-game winless run at home that dates to December.
Dominic Solanke put Bournemouth ahead in the second half, but Anthony Gordon levelled from the penalty spot.
Antoine Semenyo put the visitors in front again until Ritchie came to Newcastle’s rescue.
Seventh-placed Newcastle was a point ahead of West Ham after the London side suffered a third straight defeat, 2-0 at relegation-fighting Nottingham Forest.
Some West Ham fans held up signs calling for manager David Moyes to go.
