Adam Barnish: Mohamed Salah – Milestone Man

IT’S not very often that one goal can culminate in two impressive milestones being reached by a player, but that is the territory that Mohamed Salah is in should he score against Crystal Palace this weekend.

Not only would a goal against the Eagles see him become just the fifth Liverpool player to reach 200 goals for the club, but he’d also become just the 11^th player in Premier League history to notch 150 goals.

While this Saturday against Crystal Palace will be his 327^th appearance for Liverpool in all competitions, and should he score he’d be the second-slowest to reach that total behind Roger Hunt (298 games), Ian Rush (321) and Gordon Hodgson (322) and bettering only Billy Liddell (485), it doesn’t diminish the size of the accomplishment since arriving at Anfield in 2017.

Focusing specifically on his Premier League milestone, Salah, as mentioned previously, would be the 11^th player to do so in the competition, and the first since Harry Kane in November 2020. In doing so he’d also be only the third non-English player to reach 150 goals in the competition after Thierry Henry and Sergio Agüero, and first African player to do so.

With 149 goals in 246 games already in the competition, he’d be the fifth-fastest player to reach 150 goals, although in truth has plenty of time to score that landmark goal before things could change.

Indeed, 23 of Salah’s 149 goals in the competition have also come from the penalty spot, with only Steven Gerrard scoring more from 12 yards in the competition for Liverpool than him – that is the third-most of a player’s first 150 goals in the competition.

What should also be noted is the achievement of Andrew Cole, who is the only player whose none of his first 150 Premier League goals came via a penalty. Indeed, of his 187 goals in the competition, only one was a penalty, his 172^nd against Birmingham City for Fulham in January 2005.

It goes without saying that it’s more than likely Salah’s 150^th goal in the competition will be a finish via his trusted left foot, as 119 of his first 149 have been.

It should come as no surprise then that with his next goal, regardless of his head, right or left foot, his 119 currently is already the most for a players first 150 goals. In fact, it’s already the most goals by a player with his left foot in the competition’s history.

Salah will certainly fancy his chances against Palace, with seven Premier League goals in his last nine games against them, as he looks to end a run of three games in the competition without a goal, his longest since August (4 games).

Should things go really well and Salah score his fifth Premier League hat-trick against Palace, he’d go on to join a very exclusive group of players with 150 goals in the competition for a specific team, what with two of his 149 currently compromising of a less-than-successful spell at Chelsea in 2013-14 and 2014-15.

Following speculation surrounding his future at the club prior to the start of this season, Liverpool fans and the club would’ve been delighted with his decision to stay, as their Egyptian King continues to make more history at Anfield.

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