LONDON — Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has achieved a milestone of 200 Premier League goal involvements for one club after he claimed two assists as he came from one behind to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1.
The Egyptian forward has set a new all-time Premier League record for assists by an African player. The world-class winger bagged two assists against Wolves, overtaking the record held previously by Riyad Mahrez.
All but one of Salah’s assists has been for Liverpool, with the sole remaining assist coming during his time at Chelsea. Mahrez, meanwhile, shaped his record at Leicester City and Manchester City.
His team-mate, Andy Robertson, a beneficiary of his assist today, spoke of Salah’s quality beyond his goals: “He probably only gets credit when he gets goals now, which is probably slightly unfair.”
Salah has also now become the first Liverpool player in Premier League history to assist a goal in five successive away games, and also the fourth Premier League player to assist in five straight games.
Salah passed the milestone of 200 Premier League goal involvements for Liverpool. “They increased the Egyptian’s top-flight assist total for Liverpool to 62, alongside the 139 Premier League goals he has plundered since joining in 2017,” a club statement read.
“Salah’s 201 combined goal involvements make him just the eighth player to achieve the double-century for a single club in the Premier League era.
“And with his tally having been recorded in 223 matches, he is the second-fastest to reach the landmark, with only Thierry Henry quicker for Arsenal (206 games).
“Salah also extended his current goal involvement streak, having notched a goal or assist in each of his last 11 Premier League outings. That run includes five goals and nine assists.”
The 31-year-old will be looking to continue his good form when Liverpool take on West Ham United at Anfield on September 24.
Liverpool beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 away thanks to two late goals in a scintillating comeback.
Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland scored second-half goals as Manchester City fought back from a goal down to beat West Ham United 3-1 at the London Stadium and move back top of the Premier League table.
The No.11 claimed two assists as the Reds came from one behind to beat Wanderers 3-1 at Molineux.
Salah teed up Cody Gakpo to equalise and then delivered the key pass for Andy Robertson to put Jürgen Klopp’s men in front.
They increased the Egyptian’s top-flight assist total for Liverpool to 62, alongside the 139 Premier League goals he has plundered since joining in 2017.
Salah’s 201 combined goal involvements make him just the eighth player to achieve the double-century for a single club in the Premier League era.
And with his tally having been recorded in 223 matches, he is the second-fastest to reach the landmark, with only Thierry Henry quicker for Arsenal (206 games).
Salah also extended his current goal involvement streak, having notched a goal or assist in each of his last 11 Premier League outings. That run includes five goals and nine assists.
The hosts dominated the first half at Molineux against an unusually sloppy Liverpool, Hwang Hee-chan stroking in a 7th minute goal after a brilliant run from Pedro Neto, before Wolves missed a string of further chances.
Liverpool came out transformed in the second half, however, and Mohamed Salah set up fellow striker Cody Gakpo for a tap-in equaliser in the 55th minute.
Wearing the captain’s armband on his 200th Premier League appearance, Andy Robertson slid in Liverpool’s second from another Salah pass in the 85th minute as the visitors poured forward.
Liverpool made it three in time added on, with Wolves’ Hugo Bueno deflecting the ball into his own net from a shot by Harvey Elliott, sending the away fans into delirium.
Liverpool’s slow start today was due in part to the absence of stalwart defenders Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold through suspension and injury respectively.
Fresh back from international duty for Argentina, midfielder Alexis Mac Allister looked out of sorts, uncharacteristically misplacing passes and losing possession.
But the introduction of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, also back from World Cup qualifiers in South America, reinvigorated Liverpool for their second half onslaught.
Wolves were left to rue missed opportunities, none more so than when Neto again beat his man to dink a cross into Matheus Cunha who inexplicably chested the ball instead of stooping to head home from close range and extend his team’s lead.
“The first half we dominated the game, and we come out with zero points,” Neto said. “We have to continue to work and we have to grow up … It’s tough after that first half to concede three goals, it’s really hard.”
We played a fantastic game. Even when we were losing against at half-time against an incredible side who is very good at set-pieces, we were efficient, we were patient in the second half,” City manager Pep Guardiola told the BBC.
His side would now turn their attention to their first Champions League group game against Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday.
“We are used to it. Now it’s rest, Champions League, defending the crown, game by game. Now we start recovery and everybody will be ready,” he said.
City should have gone ahead in the seventh minute, but a goal-line clearance by Tomas Soucek and a good save from Alphonse Areola kept the game scoreless.
The visitors spurned another great opportunity when Josko Gvardiol whipped a ball across the box but Haaland swept his effort wide of the goal, much to the relief of the flat-footed West Ham defence.
After soaking up enormous pressure, the home side took the lead in the 36th minute when Vladimir Coufal chipped a cross to the far post and James Ward-Prowse produced a brilliant diving header.
Doku equalised 43 seconds into the second half, running menacingly at Coufal before firing home, and Silva and Haaland were on target in the 76th and 86th minutes to send City back top on 15 points, two ahead of Liverpool.
The Hammers did not give up and almost took the lead again on the hour mark when Michail Antonio played in Emerson only for his shot to be blocked by Manuel Akanji and from the resulting corner Ederson pulled off a magnificent save to deny Kurt Zouma.
Champions City were not to be denied, however, and in the 76th minute Silva gave them the lead, hooking home a scooped pass from Julian Alvarez before Haaland finally got his goal 10 minutes later to secure the three points.
City top the standings on a perfect 15 points from five games, two ahead of Liverpool and three ahead of Brighton & Hove Albion. West Ham drop to sixth on 10 points.
“We played a fantastic game. Even when we were losing against at half-time against an incredible side who is very good at set-pieces, we were efficient, we were patient in the second half,” City manager Pep Guardiola told the BBC.
His side would now turn their attention to their first Champions League group game against Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday.
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