Tottenham 3-6 Liverpool: Messi-esque Mohamed Salah makes Premier League history in nine-goal thriller | OneFootball

Mohamed Salah solidified his status among the Premier League‘s all-time greats by achieving a remarkable milestone as Liverpool ran out 6-3 winners at Tottenham.

Having already broken numerous records, Salah created Liverpool’s third before half-time and accomplished something no player in the competition has ever done. He also scored their fourth and fifth goals after the break.

Salah is the first player in Premier League history to reach double figures in both goals and assists before Christmas in a single season. With 15 goals and 11 assists, he’s been involved in 26 of Liverpool’s 37 Premier League goals this season, accounting for 70% of his team’s goals—by far the highest contribution of any player for a side this term.

He scored and assisted in seven matches during the 2024/25 season, already the joint-most by a player in a single campaign in the competition (also Alan Shearer in 1994-95, Thierry Henry in 2002-03, Robin van Persie in 2011-12, and Bruno Fernandes and Harry Kane in 2020-21).

Additionally, this is the sixth Premier League season in which Liverpool’s Salah has both scored and assisted 10+ goals (2017-18, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25); the most of any player in the competition’s history (overtaking Wayne Rooney’s five).

Another remarkable achievement was that Salah became the first Premier League player this season to score 30 or more goals across all competitions. He currently has 33, including 18 goals and 15 assists.

During Sky Sports’ commentary, Gary Neville observed that he was noticeably lacking in energy and pressing, contrasting this with Luis Diaz, who effectively performed the role of two players.

Neville remarked that a player needs to be exceptionally talented to avoid such a lack of intensity, reminiscent of Lionel Messi’s playing style during his later years at Barcelona, where he turned walking into an art form.

Salah walks during games to conserve his energy. Instead of exhausting himself by pursuing lost causes, he chooses his moments wisely, allowing him to spring to life when an opportunity arises.

Given his unmatched ability in England’s top division, and perhaps even in Europe right now, Salah has likely earned the luxury of taking breaks to walk during matches. This strategy does not seem to diminish his effectiveness on the field; in fact, it might enhance it.

However, it’s important to note that Salah is not disengaged from the game. He remains involved and observant, constantly moving his head from side to side. He stays aware of the unfolding play and understands what is likely to happen next.

Though he may not be running, Salah is always aware of his surroundings. He identifies weaknesses in the opposing team’s defence. His goals were opportunistic, showcasing his ability to capitalise on errors made by Tottenham’s backline. The really great players develop a mental map of the game within just a few minutes on the pitch. They know precisely what spaces are available and can visualise the entire play.

Among the outfield players who started for the visitors, Salah had the fewest touches (32) and completed the fewest passes (14). However, as the legendary Johan Cruyff once said, the most important question is: what do you do during the moments when you do not have the ball? That is what determines whether you are a good player or not. Salah has long since provided an answer to that question.

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