Mohamed Salah wrote another chapter in his storied Liverpool career on Sunday, scoring in his final Merseyside derby to help the Reds claim a dramatic 2-1 English Premier League (EPL) victory over Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Egyptian forward needed just one goal to match a historic landmark, and the moment arrived in the 30th minute when Cody Gakpo delivered a perfectly weighted assist, allowing Salah to slot home a trademark first-time finish. The strike extended his Premier League record against Everton to nine goals in 15 appearances, drawing him level with Steven Gerrard for the most goals in Merseyside derby history in the Premier League era, a tally Gerrard required 30 matches to achieve.
Everton initially thought they had taken the lead through Iliman Ndiaye in the first half, but a VAR review ruled it out for offside. The hosts recovered to equalise through Beto, threatening to deny Liverpool the win, before Virgil van Dijk scored a 99th-minute winner to secure all three points in Liverpool’s first victory at Everton’s new venue.
The result moved Liverpool seven points clear in the race for a top-five Premier League finish.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the final whistle, Salah kept his focus firmly on the team’s objective. “I hope I will just keep scoring and help the team to achieve the Champions League this season. Hopefully, I say farewell in the right way,” he said. Reflecting on the atmosphere of the occasion, he added, “It feels great. The most important thing was to help the team to settle down and feel more confident. We knew before the game it was going to be tricky, difficult, and I’m glad we were able to win it.”
Van Dijk paid tribute to his departing teammate, saying there would be “a lot of words” in the weeks ahead about Salah, describing him as so important to the squad both on and off the pitch and stressing that the appreciation for him was already fully felt within the group.
Salah confirmed last month that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the campaign after a nine-year stint at the club. With only a handful of Premier League matches remaining, his focus remains on ensuring the club returns to the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Champions League before he departs.
