(Video) What Mo Salah did prior to Darwin Nunez hat-trick goal v Stoke was simply breathtaking | OneFootball

Having enjoyed a well-earned extended break this summer, Mo Salah is already showing signs of being ready to terrorise opposition defences yet again this season!

The Egyptian struck a phenomenal tally of 34 goals in all competitions last term, winning the Premier League Golden Boot and firing Liverpool to the title, and he’ll be a Reds player for another two years after penning a contract extension in April.

It may have come as a surprise that he wasn’t on the scoresheet for Arne Slot’s side in their 5-0 win over Stoke City in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the AXA Training Centre on Sunday, but he still caught the eye in Kirkby with one particular moment of breathtaking brilliance.

Salah produces sublime no-look pass v Stoke

Liverpool were already two goals to the good inside the first 20 minutes (both scored by Darwin Nunez) when Salah sprinkled his stardust on proceedings.

The 33-year-old took a couple of touches to set himself just outside the Stoke penalty area before playing a sublime no-look pass with the inside of his left foot to Curtis Jones, who teed up the Reds’ number 9 to complete his hat-trick from close range.

Image via Liverpool FC on YouTube

Salah likely to have another prolific campaign for Liverpool

Salah memorably came off the bench to score twice in a 3-0 win away to the Potters in his first season with Liverpool in 2017/18, and he was tormenting the Staffordshire side once again yesterday!

The Egyptian King actually ended an outstanding 2024/25 campaign on a modest note, scoring only twice in his final nine matches in a fall-off similar to 12 months previously, but that was after hitting stratospheric standards to put the Reds into an unassailable position in the title race.

We’ll unfortunately have to make do without the 33-year-old during the festive period because of his country’s involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations, although Ben Doak, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott could all be deployed on the right flank if they’re still at the club by then. Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong also provide alternative options in that role if needed.

Salah was rewarded in April with a new contract to the tune of £400,000 per week, with Liverpool justifiably breaking with the convention of not handing big-money deals to players approaching the mid-30s for their third-highest scorer of all time.

We don’t doubt that our number 11 will enjoy another hugely prolific campaign in 2025/26 if, as has been the case throughout his time at Anfield, he remains largely free of injury. We cannot wait to witness his ongoing brilliance in L4 when the season gets underwat next month!

You can view Salah’s no-look pass in the lead-up to Nunez’s hat-trick goal below (at 0:46), via Liverpool FC on YouTube: