The news that every Liverpool fan wanted to hear finally broke this week. Mo Salah is staying at Liverpool beyond this season, after signing a contract that will most likely make him the second highest player in the Premier League, behind only Erling Haaland at Manchester City.
But why is this news so important to Liverpool fans over the world, and to the club itself? Why did Liverpool work so hard to re-sign the 32 year old instead of searching for a long term replacement in the summer?
The Enduring Brilliance of Mohamed Salah
The 2024-25 season marked a significant transition for Liverpool Football Club. Following the departure of Jürgen Klopp, new manager Arne Slot stepped into the Anfield dugout, tasked with navigating a period of change while maintaining the club’s elite standards. Against this backdrop of adaptation, Liverpool surged to the top of the Premier League table, establishing a commanding lead by the spring. Central to this success, embodying both consistency, skill and world class ability, has been Mo Salah.
Now 32 years old, Salah remains a pivotal figure, the heartbeat of Liverpool’s attack and a player whose individual brilliance continues to defy expectations. In a season where adaptation was key, Salah not only maintained his world-class standards but embarked on what may yet turn out to be a historic individual campaign, further cementing his legacy as one of the club’s all-time greats, and the most influential Liverpool player of the Premier League era. His performances have been instrumental in Liverpool’s title charge, providing the cutting edge and consistent output required at the highest level.
By the Numbers: Salah’s Statistical Dominance in 2024-25
Mohamed Salah’s performance in the 2024-25 season can only be described as statistically phenomenal, underpinning his enduring value to Liverpool. Across all competitions, his headline numbers paint a picture of relentless productivity: in 45 appearances, he amassed 3,876 minutes on the pitch, scoring 32 goals and providing 22 assists. This staggering output saw him become the first player across Europe’s top five leagues to reach 50 direct goal involvements during the campaign, achieving this milestone (30 goals, 20 assists) in just 38 games. The sheer volume of his contributions underlines his central role in Liverpool’s attacking set up.
Focusing on the Premier League, the dominance has been even more pronounced. In 31 league appearances, playing 2,755 minutes, he notched an incredible 27 goals and 17 assists. These figures placed him firmly at the top of both the goalscoring and assist charts for much of the season, highlighting his dual threat. His combined 44 goal involvements in the league alone put him on course for one of the most productive individual seasons in Premier League history. His efficiency is reflected in his per 90-minute metrics: 0.88 goals, 0.56 assists, and a combined 1.44 goals and assists per 90 minutes played.
Beyond the basic counts, advanced metrics further illuminate Salah’s elite performance levels. His Premier League expected goals tally of 22.5 and expected assisted goals of 11.3 show that his high output is not fortunate, but built on consistently getting into high-quality scoring positions and creating dangerous opportunities for himself and team mates. Salah is not just a finisher but a crucial link in building Liverpool’s attacks.
This statistical dominance has translated into numerous record-breaking achievements during the 2024-25 campaign:
- He became the first player in Premier League history to both score and assist in home and away matches against the reigning champions (Manchester City) in the same season
- He equalled the Premier League single-season records for away goals (16) and away assists (11)
- He set a new record for the most assists by a Liverpool player in a single Premier League season (17+), surpassing Steve McManaman.
- He matched Lionel Messi’s 2014-15 feat by scoring and assisting in 11 different league matches within a single season in Europe’s top five leagues
- He became the first player ever to register 25+ goals and 15+ assists in a Premier League season
- He joined the elite company of Eric Cantona, Matt Le Tissier, Thierry Henry, and Eden Hazard as players to achieve 15+ goals and 15+ assists in a single Premier League campaign
- His 44 Premier League goal involvements put him agonisingly close to the all-time record of 47 (set by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole in 42-game seasons)
- He set a new Premier League record by scoring on the opening day for the ninth time
- He climbed to become Liverpool’s third-highest goal scorer in the club’s history
The 2024-25 season appears to mark the zenith of Salah’s evolution into a complete attacking force. While his goalscoring prowess has always been evident, evidenced by multiple Golden Boot awards, his creative output this season has reached extraordinary levels. Leading the league in assists and potentially shattering the single-season record signifies a mastery of both scoring and providing, making him more dangerous and influential than ever before.
Clutch Moments: Defining Matches of Salah’s Season
While Mohamed Salah’s excellence was a constant throughout the 2024-25 campaign, his influence was particularly pronounced in games where Liverpool needed some magic. His ability to decide outcomes against formidable opponents further proved his status as the team’s talisman.
Take Man City away in February as an example, where Salah opened the scoring before expertly setting up Dominik Szoboszlai for Liverpool’s second in a 2-0 victory. This win extended Liverpool’s lead at the top to 11 points, with Salah named Player of the Match. Earlier in the season, on December 1st, he had also scored a penalty in the corresponding home fixture, a 2-0 win that completed the league double over City and established the record of contributing a goal or assist in both matches against the reigning champions.
His impact against other major rivals was similarly decisive. In a dominant 3-0 away win against Manchester United in September, Salah scored one goal and provided two assists. Against Tottenham away in December, he was instrumental amongst chaos in a 6-3 win, scoring twice and assisting Luis Diaz.
Cementing a Legacy
Salah’s 2024-25 season stands as a testament to his enduring quality and influence at Liverpool. In a campaign where Liverpool were expected to be a team in transition, Salah has delivered the most complete attacking performance of his illustrious career, shattering records and propelling the team’s Premier League title challenge. His exceptional statistics – leading the league in both goals and assists for much of the season and achieving a remarkable tally of over 50 goal contributions across all competitions – underscored his continued dominance.
This season further cemented Salah’s legacy as one of Liverpool’s all-time greats. While his 2017-18 campaign set records for pure goalscoring, 2024-25 showcased a different peak – that of the complete attacker, equally devastating as a creator and a finisher. At 32, an age when many forwards begin to decline, Salah demonstrated an extraordinary ability to evolve and maintain world-class standards. I’ve said it already, but it’s worth saying again. Mo Salah is the most influential player to wear a Liverpool jersey in the Premier League era. Bar none. Sorry Stevie G fans, but it’s not even a close argument.
The Egyptian King’s reign at Anfield continues, beyond this season, as influential and brilliant as ever. Long live the King.
Gary Cronin, April 2025
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