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Historic individual Premier League campaigns: Mohamed Salah (2017/18)

‘Mooo Salah, Mooo Salah, Mooo Salah, running down the wing’

Ever heard of this chant? It has become quite popular in the last year or so. So has a certain Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian winger had a sensational season for Liverpool, which is still barely believable. In his first season at the club, Salah scored 44 goals in all competitions to take Europe by storm.

This was not his first time in the Premier League, however. Chelsea signed him in 2013, but the London club failed to make the most of his mercurial talent. Off he went to Italy, where he improved his game at Fiorentina, and then Roma. His exploits in the Italian capital caught the eyes of Jurgen Klopp and a deal was made in 2017 for £36.9 million. Now, this amount ‘back then’ was not as scant as it seems now. Despite the substantial amount, no one expected him to have the impact he did.

Salah started the season strongly, netting on his debut against Watford. After that lung-bursting run against Arsenal came braces against Southampton, West Ham, Leicester City, and Stoke City, which took his tally to 20 goals by December. He scored a sumptuous curling effort in his first Merseyside derby against Everton, which fetched him the Puskas Award for the best goal of 2018.

A sensational solo goal against Tottenham followed before he truly erupted against Watford. Salah scored four goals in that game and set up another, as the Hornets watched in horror. In all, he scored 32 goals in the Premier League, which gave him the Golden Boot for the season. It was also the most any player has managed in a 38-game Premier League season. Some record that, right?

The Champions League also came to know of his heroics. He scored 11 goals in the competition, which included some memorable ones. Two of them came against Manchester City in the quarter-final, as Liverpool prevailed 5-1 on aggregate. Even better was his performance against former side Roma in the semi-final when he contributed to four goals on the night. He says that the first goal, which was a thunderous strike into the top corner is his favourite
one from the whole season.



Liverpool finished the season in fourth place in the league, but their real focus in the latter stages was in Europe. They reached the Champions Leauge final, where Salah endured a bitter end to his season. He suffered a shoulder injury in the final against Real Madrid and had to be substituted in the early stages due to it. Liverpool would go on to lose the game 3-1, which brought the curtain down on a sour note.

Nevertheless, his secured a host of individual accolades and records. More than 30 individual awards came by his way, which included the PFA Player of the Year title. He also claimed the Football Writer’s Association Footballer of the Year prize, along with a third-place finish at the Best FIFA Men’s Player awards.

Consider that he scored all those goals from a wide position, and his feat becomes all the more remarkable. The likes of Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry, Sergio Aguero and so so many could not score 32 league goals in a season. But Mohamed Salah, in his first full Premier League season, did it. Puts it into perspective, doesn’t it?

‘Salah la la la la la la, the Egyptian king’.

 

 

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