MIGHTY MO’S MILESTONE
Salah seals Kop comeback with 150th goal after Mane’s spectacular leveller
MO SALAH scored his 150th Liverpool goal with typical brilliance and it’s remarkable to recognise he has a better strike ratio than all the other club’s great forwards — from Billy Liddell and Roger Hunt through Ian Rush and Kenny Dalglish to Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Luis Suarez.
This wasn’t the routine home win most anticipated with Norwich, bottom of the table, shocking Anfield with the game’s opening goal early in the second half.
But Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp boldly made changes and his stars turned up big time.
Sadio Mane’s overhead kick to level after 64 minutes was brilliant in itself but even that was surpassed three minutes later.
Goalkeeper Alisson pinged a brilliant 70-yard pass to Salah who shifted to his left as Norwich defenders closed him down before dragging the ball back onto his right foot and then rolling home his milestone goal.
He is only the 10th player in the Liverpool’s illustrious history to reach 150, an incredible feat considering he only arrived at Anfield in the second half of 2017.
To put the icing on the cake for the hosts, January signing Luis Diaz then scored his first for the club with a delicious dink before receiving a standing ovation when he went off near the end.
‘Wonderful goals,’ said Klopp, who needed the win to put pressure on leaders Manchester City, who were playing Spurs in the evening kick-off. ‘The longer the game went on, the more I could enjoy it.
‘It’s an outstanding number for Mo and the goal was pure him. His first touch was insane and he had an incredible game. It was a perfect way to reach 150.’
Liverpool are on a roll, unbeaten in 2022 and at Anfield for 11 months. Norwich hadn’t defeated them since 1994.
But Klopp’s changes, some enforced, some chosen, made it a slightly more level playing field. Mane started at centre forward with Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino injured while full backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson were rested.
Liverpool still dominated the first half but couldn’t break through.
Angus Gunn made terrific saves from Virgil van Dijk, Salah and Mane and Kostas Tsimikas sliced over from close range.
To Norwich’s credit, they defended manfully with Manchester United loanee Brandon Williams standing up to the test provided by Salah.
They could even claim the best chance of the half when top scorer Teemu Pukki broke the Liverpool back line but looked anguished as his shot was dragged wide with only Alisson to beat.
Norwich then inserted real drama by scoring with their first shot on target after 49 minutes. Williams was alert to intercept a pass into Salah’s feet and from there Josh Sargent carried the ball towards the Liverpool penalty area.
When his options to shoot were closed down, he fed Milot Rashica and the Kosovan’s attempt from 20 yards flicked off Joel Matip’s leg and looped into the corner with Alisson stranded.
It was Rashica’s first Premier League goal since signing from Werder Bremen in the summer.
Klopp responded boldly by throwing on Thiago Alcantara and Divock Origi and removing two midfielders.
Thiago got on the ball immediately to raise noise levels at Anfield and, within two minutes, the game turned. Jordan Henderson clipped a pass to the far post and, when Tsimikas headed back into the danger zone, Mane twisted his body brilliantly to fire an overhead kick past Gunn.
Though it was a candidate for goal of the month and a continuation of the AFCON winners fine form, the agenda moved on almost immediately — when Salah bamboozled the visitors’ defence.
They grouped by one post anticipating his shot only to find the Premier League’s leading scorer stroking his finish to the opposite corner. ‘Cheeky,’ was Klopp’s description.
At the other end, Alisson celebrated his second assist of the season, having headed the winner against West Brom last year. Surely there has never been a Premier League keeper like him. Anfield roared its approval — and all that was missing was a goal for Diaz. That duly arrived nine minutes from the end.
Henderson produced a slide-rule pass that left the Colombian clear and his clever finish over Gunn deserved the rapturous reception it received.
Klopp fist-pumped with special vigour at the final whistle. And Henderson stressed the importance of overcoming adversity. ‘We reacted in the right way to going behind,’ he said.
The disappointment for Norwich manager Dean Smith was surely tempered by his side having more winnable games against Southampton, Brentford and Leeds next in their battle to survive. ‘I feel for the players because they left everything out on the pitch,’ he said. ‘It was really gutsy.’
While the world will laud Salah’s landmark this weekend, Klopp was also keen to praise the newest cab on the rank, Colombian Diaz who has just arrived from Porto.
He was moved from the left into the middle for the latter stages.
‘It was a tricky game for Luis and important for him to stay in the game and get his rewards,’ said Klopp. ‘He’s an outstanding talent.’