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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Ian Doyle

Mohamed Salah is about to change Liverpool history as AFCON fallout avoided

Mohamed Salah has never been one to stand on ceremony during his time at Liverpool.

Ever since first pulling on a Reds shirt, the Egyptian has demonstrated an urge to make an impact as soon as possible.

And that trait is already standing him in good stead as he looks to shake off any lingering effects from his Africa Cup of Nations final heartache against Sadio Mane's Senegal last weekend.

Certainly, Salah didn't waste any time in reacquainting himself with Anfield after missing the last six games when he emerged from the bench during the Premier League visit of Leicester City on Thursday night.

READ MORE: Andy Robertson explains Luis Diaz's first days in Liverpool dressing room

READ MORE: Ian Wright makes Diogo Jota claim and tips Liverpool forward to leave

In a blistering 30-minute cameo, the forward bamboozled the visiting defence with one piece of skill inside the area, created a chance for Luis Diaz and struck the frame of the goal with a curling effort from range.

Then there was the strong penalty shout turned away by referee Chris Kavanagh after he was clattered into by Daniel Amartey having forced a good save from Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel when capitalising on a loose pass in midfield.

Salah will be expected to return to the starting line-up for Sunday's visit to Burnley.

And he stands only two goals away from another astonishing landmark of a remarkable Liverpool career.

A brace against the Clarets - opposition who he has actually scored only once in eight previous outings - would make Salah only the 10th player in Liverpool's history to score 150 goals in all competitions.

Should he reach the figure inside the next 12 games, he will become the second quickest player to do so for the Reds.

Roger Hunt holds the record, netting his 150th goal in his 226th appearance in 1964. Salah has 148 goals in 230 outings, although it must be said more than half of Hunt's strikes came when Liverpool were still a second division club.

Ian Rush, the Reds' all-time leading scorer, took 249 appearances to get to 150 goals, while Gordon Hodgson, third on the list behind Hunt, took 242 games.

Salah, though, is continuing to score at a rate faster than any other leading goalscorer in the club's history, his average of a goal every 1.55 games edging him ahead of Hodgson's average of 1.56. For comparison, Rush stands at 1.91, Hunt at 1.73 and Michael Owen at 1.88.

Fellow Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino will be another seeking a record. Should the Brazilian find the net on Sunday, he would become the first visiting player to score in four consecutive Premier League games at Turf Moor.

With Mane having returned from AFCON celebrations on Friday, Diogo Jota on form and new signing Luis Diaz impressing, Klopp has healthy options in attack this weekend.

And Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson believes both Mane and Salah will be motivated by their differing experiences in Cameroon.

"It's massive for Sadio, first trophy for his country and he deserves it," he says.

"But Mo, the way he carried his country and took them to the final... At the start, I know Mo believed (Egypt could win the tournament) but maybe not others who thought there were stronger teams in it, but his team were very good and they managed to get to the final.

"He'll be disappointed, of course. It's never easy when it's your country. But Mo will be determined to kick on where he left off, so will Sadio.

"We've done not too bad without them but it certainly makes it a little easier when we have them as an option, that's for sure."

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