Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah scored his 250 goal for the club in Liverpool’s well-deserved 2-0 home win over Aston Villa.
It’s been a while since Liverpool fans had much to chant about at Anfield, but manager Arne Slot believes the fans played an important role in helping the Reds regain their form.
The Dutchman had been under fire, with six defeats in seven games in all competitions, before the reigning champions achieved a well-deserved 2-0 home win over Aston Villa, thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch.
That triumph snapped a four-game losing sequence in the Premier League, propelling them to third place, and there was no doubt the Anfield fans thought their team was back to form.
“Champions, champions,” chanted the fans, but the true test of Slot’s team will come on Tuesday when Real Madrid visits Anfield in the Champions League—and again next Sunday when the Reds travel to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
Nonetheless, even when the game remained goalless, the Kop were screaming and singing positively about the 47-year-old, who had led the team to the Premier League title in his first season.
“It means a lot,” said Slot. “It happened at 0-0, not when you are leading, not when you are top of the table, but when you’re in a difficult situation for the club, for the team, and for me.
“To get the support the players got, the support I got, is what makes this club special. They don’t forget if you have been a part of something special, and they help you when things are difficult.
“We were not winning games; we were losing them, and the fans felt the players needed some support—that’s what you get from these supporters.”
Slot and captain Virgil van Dijk both complained in the matchday program about the team’s poor performances and outcomes.
Liverpool are already facing a difficult battle in retaining their title, with Arsenal seven points ahead of them and having not surrendered a goal since the end of September.
However, there is no doubt that this result has significantly improved the mood around Anfield ahead of a crucial period for the club, with one of their all-time greats playing a key role.
Salah will not have scored many easier goals for the Reds than the one he was given just before halftime, when Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez sent the ball to the 33-year-old Egyptian, who slotted it into an open net.
Salah became only the third Liverpool player to score 250 goals, after Ian Rush (346) and Roger Hunt (285).
“It’s almost unbelievable if you score 250 goals for one club,” added Slot. “Even if you score 250 goals overall, it will be unbelievable.
“He had a very good performance. He didn’t only do his offensive work; he helped the team out defensively very well. I liked his performance tonight, and it’s special for him to get 250 goals for Liverpool.”
Salah has helped Liverpool win the Premier League twice and the Champions League once, as well as the FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup in his eight years at Anfield, after joining from Roma for £34 million in 2017.
While the four-time Premier League Golden Boot winner has only four league goals this season, Slot will be encouraged by Salah’s performance, which saw him constantly cut in from the right wing to attack the Villa defense.
Lucas Digne struggled at left-back, and if Liverpool is to have any chance of success this season, Salah must be close to his peak form.
Salah conceded in an interview with TNT Sports that he has not been at his best, saying, “It’s very important [to get the win today]; we’ve had a few losses in the Premier League and Champions League. I’m glad we are back on track now, and it’s a big push before some important games.
“It’s a very tricky season for us because we have a few new players; they are very good players, but they need time to adapt. We lost some players too. It takes time to adapt and know each other’s games, but everything will be fine.”
On scoring 250 goals for Liverpool, the Egyptian added, “It’s a great feeling to score goals for such a big club; it’s something I don’t take for granted. I’m so proud and happy about that achievement.”
