Mohamed Salah careered ahead of Harry Kane in the Premier League goalscoring charts with four goals against Watford at Anfield. It was a display which confirmed his status as one of the Premier League’s best.
The three points also saw Jurgen Klopp’s side leapfrog Kane’s Tottenham Hotspur in the table, and move back within two points of Manchester United after losing to them last weekend.
With their top four rivals on FA Cup duty, Liverpool were able to put pressure on them to make up the points in their game in hand. It was also a good way for the club to head into the upcoming international break, with a Champions League quarter final tie against Manchester City to look forward to when they return.
Salah is one of very few players who’ve come close to matching City’s stars in the Premier League this season, and his display here confirmed that he’s easily up there as one of the best in the league along with Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva.
A scattering of snow had covered the Anfield pitch prior to the game, which made Miguel Britos' fall to the turf as uncomfortable as it was embarrassing. Salah looked looked to have lost some of his magic during his side's defeat to United last week, but it took him just four minutes to pull a trick out of the bag and leave the Uruguayan defender on his backside.
As far as expected goals go, once Salah is in this position they're becoming more and more a certainty, and he finished with ease past Orestis Karnezis, even with his weaker right foot.
That moment defined the majority of a first half which subsequently fell flat. There were periods of poor passing from both sides and the game only spring into life when Salah was on the ball. His turn to leave Jose Holebas for dead was another highlight, with only Roberto Pereyra showing any similar invention for the visitors.
Jordan Henderson endured a torrid time at the base of Liverpool's midfield, though especially after losing one of his midfield colleagues, Emre Can, through injury in the first half. The Reds captain was lucky that Watford were as poor as he was on these occasions, and couldn't make the most of the attacking situations they were presented with.
The two Brazilian forwards on opposing sides, Roberto Firmino and Richarlison, had chances at either end, but both were saved. It was left to Salah to end the half as he had started it. His goal from Andy Robertson's sumptuous cross two minutes before half time effectively ended the contest.
If that didn’t then Firmino’s goal five minutes into the second half certainly did. Salah had Britos at a loss yet again before crossing for the No 9 whose inventive, slightly unorthodox but aesthetically pleasing finish saw him flick the ball behind himself and past Karnezis.
While Salah will take the headlines, notching up an assist to go with his goals, this Liverpool side wouldn’t function without its Brazilian striker, who does so much work off the ball and still manages, somehow, to score regularly. He is Klopp’s philosophy embodied in one player, and Liverpool need him to stay fit as much as they do Salah.
Pereyra remained Watford’s only threat, and his free kick almost brought a goal for his side but it clattered into the crossbar and over, but at the other end Salah was making sure of his chances.
His third looked unlikely as he fell to the ground, crowded out by Watford defenders having received the ball after Sadio Mane made inroads down the left. But just as he leaned towards the turf he was able to get a slight, but telling touch on the ball with his left foot to send it rolling agonisingly past Karnezis. The goalkeeper watched, but he could do nothing about it as the Kop rose behind him to celebrate their new hero.
Salah is having one of the best seasons ever seen by a Liverpool attacker, which is some going considering the legends which have played in this side in seasons gone by. And to put the icing on this snow covered cake he turned home the rebound after Karnezis fumbled a strike from substitute Danny Ings. He was only prevented a fifth by the bravery of the Watford keeper to smother the ball at his feet.
This Liverpool side deserve to win something this season, but even if they don’t win any trophies as a team, it looks like their Egyptian star will be up for a whole host of individual gongs. He may have secured the one for top goalscorer here today.
