Liverpool’s Salah equals Ozil’s Premier League record with goal against Manchester United
Mohamed Salah's goal and assist for Liverpool against Manchester United in the Premier League on Tuesday means the Egypt international has matched a record that has stood for seven years.
In netting against the Red Devils and teeing up Luis Diaz, the African forward became only the second player in the competition’s history to have scored and made an assist in home and away matches against United in a single season.
2 - Mohamed Salah is only the second player to both score and assist in home and away games against Manchester United in a single Premier League season, after Mesut Ozil in 2015-16. Ya. pic.twitter.com/RSaCUibpMt
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 19, 2022
According to Opta, only former Arsenal star Mesut Ozil achieved this during the 2015-16 league campaign.
The former Germany international represented the Gunners for seven seasons before heading to Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce.
Despite failing to score in his last three league matches, Salah was named in Liverpool's starting XI in the crunch fixture against Ralf Rangnick’s men.
He repaid Jurgen Klopp’s faith in him by scoring a brace and bagging an assist as the hosts demolished the Old Trafford giants 4-0 at Anfield.
Just five minutes into the game, the Reds took the lead after Salah sent a low cross into the middle that Diaz swept past David De Gea.
In the 22nd minute, the former AS Roma star was on song with a crisp finish following a sublime reverse from Sadio Mane.
Eight minutes after the hour mark, the Senegal international found the net courtesy of a Diaz assist. The Columbian collected an offload from Andy Robertson before guiding a precise cross into the box for Mane to tuck home.
Salah completed his double with five minutes left on the clock to cap a man-of-the-match display after he was set up by Diogo Jota.
5 - Mohamed Salah is the first player in Premier League history to score 5 goals against Manchester United in a single season. Alive. pic.twitter.com/UfHPTbxaal
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 19, 2022
The 29-year-old is now the first player in Premier League to score five goals against Manchester United in a single season.
He was on course to get a hat-trick, but Aaron Wan-Bissaka made a timely intervention to divert the ball away from the forward at the last second.
Thanks to this victory, Klopp’s side temporarily leads the league table with 76 points from 32 outings, pending the outcome between Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion on Wednesday evening at the Etihad Stadium.
A win for City would see them regain a one-point lead with six matches left.