Salah’s Clever Change: Mohamed Salah Shares the Secret to His Second-Half Brilliance – A Change of Boots.
After a penalty miss in the 22nd minute, Salah’s halftime decision to switch boots helped calm him. The Egyptian star eventually scored early in the second half and confidently converted another penalty late in the game against Newcastle.
Jones and Gakpo Join Scoring: Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo find the net for Liverpool, while Alexander Isak and Sven Botman score for Newcastle. Martin Dubravka’s numerous stops keep Newcastle in the contest, but Liverpool secures a crucial win. Jurgen Klopp’s side now leads by three points, with Aston Villa in second place, followed closely by Arsenal and Manchester City, both two points behind.
Salah’s Boot Switch: After missing a penalty with the boots he trained in the previous day, Salah ex
plained, “It’s not superstition, but I wanted to change them. I just changed them and made my mind calm.”
This marks the second time Salah failed to convert a penalty this season. Despite doubts after the first miss, he confidently scored the second penalty against Newcastle, stating, “I’m calm. I always practice. The first one I was confused because the goalkeeper moved. The second one, I did like I did in training.”
Salah’s Multifaceted Contribution: In addition to scoring, Salah provided an assist for Gakpo’s goal. As he heads off to Cote d’Ivoire for the Africa Cup of Nations, Liverpool’s manager Klopp was questioned about his top scorer. This game marked Salah’s final appearance for the Reds before his departure, aiming to surpass the last final’s defeat in the upcoming tournament.
Klopp Praises Salah’s Prolific Scoring: Klopp acknowledges Salah as a “goal-scoring machine” despite the missed penalty, expressing, “It would have helped if he’d scored the first penalty.”
Reflecting on the victory that set a Premier League record for expected goals in a single game, Klopp describes it as “extremely special.” He also commends Darwin Nunez’s selfless play, stating, “Special game, special night.”
Salah’s AFCON Aspirations: Expressing his ambitions for the Africa Cup of Nations, Salah openly shares, “I want to win. We have some really good players. It means a lot to play for the national team. I cannot take it for granted. I would love to win it.” If Egypt progresses far in the tournament, Salah’s absence from club action could extend until mid-February.
Leave a Reply