Salah Sets League Goal Involvements Record as Liverpool Defeats West Ham
Liverpool continued their drive for a second Premier League title on Sunday, securing a 2-1 win against West Ham United. Mohamed Salah set a new record for the most goal involvements in a 38-game Premier League season, while Virgil van Dijk...
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Liverpool continued their drive for a second Premier League title on Sunday, securing a 2-1 win against West Ham United. Mohamed Salah set a new record for the most goal involvements in a 38-game Premier League season, while Virgil van Dijk scored a decisive late goal.
Despite West Ham equalizing in the 86th minute, captain Van Dijk headed home the winner just three minutes later, bringing the Reds two victories closer to the championship.
This result extended Liverpool's lead to 13 points over Arsenal, who occupy second place, with only six matches remaining. West Ham sits precariously at 17th place with 35 points, just 14 points above the relegation zone.
Before the match commenced, a minute's silence was observed at Anfield in remembrance of the 97 victims of the 1989 Hillsborough Stadium disaster. The atmosphere quickly shifted as supporters erupted in chants of Salah's name, celebrating the extension of his contract by two years.
While Van Dijk’s contract is set to expire at the season's end, he suggested the possibility of remaining with the club, with a significant update anticipated in the upcoming week. He stated, "The main focus was to get three points and get a little closer to all of our dreams. Everyone knows how much I love this club, let's see what next week will look like. I can say I'm very proud today to captain my 100th game for Liverpool. It was an emotional day with the Hillsborough anniversary."
Liverpool got off to a promising start, with Salah providing a breathtaking assist for the first goal. His precise outside-of-the-boot cross found Luis Diaz, who easily tapped it in from close range.
This assist propelled Salah to a record 45 goal involvements in a single 38-game Premier League season—comprising 27 goals and 18 assists.
West Ham nearly found an equalizer when Mohammed Kudus attempted a lob over Alisson, but the Brazilian keeper managed to tip the ball onto the crossbar, preserving Liverpool's lead.
Just two minutes into the second half, Alexis Mac Allister came close to extending their advantage with a free kick that struck the crossbar after being deflected by Alphonse Areola.
Liverpool appeared to have a penalty shout when James Ward-Prowse handled a cross in the box, but no penalty was awarded. Meanwhile, Alisson rushed out to thwart Jarrod Bowen, who had been set up perfectly by Lucas Paqueta.
As West Ham began to gain momentum, the Anfield crowd grew restless, and Salah expressed visible frustration when he was substituted, concluding a five-game scoring drought across all competitions.
Just a minute later, a lapse in communication led to an equalizer for West Ham. Andy Robertson inadvertently redirected a cross from Aaron Wan-Bissaka into his own net, leading to his visible anger towards Van Dijk for not dealing with the initial cross.
However, Van Dijk quickly made amends at the opposite end, restoring Liverpool’s lead just three minutes after the equalizer. From a corner taken by Mac Allister, Van Dijk's powerful header found the back of the net, igniting jubilant celebrations among the Liverpool faithful.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
Despite West Ham equalizing in the 86th minute, captain Van Dijk headed home the winner just three minutes later, bringing the Reds two victories closer to the championship.
This result extended Liverpool's lead to 13 points over Arsenal, who occupy second place, with only six matches remaining. West Ham sits precariously at 17th place with 35 points, just 14 points above the relegation zone.
Before the match commenced, a minute's silence was observed at Anfield in remembrance of the 97 victims of the 1989 Hillsborough Stadium disaster. The atmosphere quickly shifted as supporters erupted in chants of Salah's name, celebrating the extension of his contract by two years.
While Van Dijk’s contract is set to expire at the season's end, he suggested the possibility of remaining with the club, with a significant update anticipated in the upcoming week. He stated, "The main focus was to get three points and get a little closer to all of our dreams. Everyone knows how much I love this club, let's see what next week will look like. I can say I'm very proud today to captain my 100th game for Liverpool. It was an emotional day with the Hillsborough anniversary."
Liverpool got off to a promising start, with Salah providing a breathtaking assist for the first goal. His precise outside-of-the-boot cross found Luis Diaz, who easily tapped it in from close range.
This assist propelled Salah to a record 45 goal involvements in a single 38-game Premier League season—comprising 27 goals and 18 assists.
West Ham nearly found an equalizer when Mohammed Kudus attempted a lob over Alisson, but the Brazilian keeper managed to tip the ball onto the crossbar, preserving Liverpool's lead.
Just two minutes into the second half, Alexis Mac Allister came close to extending their advantage with a free kick that struck the crossbar after being deflected by Alphonse Areola.
Liverpool appeared to have a penalty shout when James Ward-Prowse handled a cross in the box, but no penalty was awarded. Meanwhile, Alisson rushed out to thwart Jarrod Bowen, who had been set up perfectly by Lucas Paqueta.
As West Ham began to gain momentum, the Anfield crowd grew restless, and Salah expressed visible frustration when he was substituted, concluding a five-game scoring drought across all competitions.
Just a minute later, a lapse in communication led to an equalizer for West Ham. Andy Robertson inadvertently redirected a cross from Aaron Wan-Bissaka into his own net, leading to his visible anger towards Van Dijk for not dealing with the initial cross.
However, Van Dijk quickly made amends at the opposite end, restoring Liverpool’s lead just three minutes after the equalizer. From a corner taken by Mac Allister, Van Dijk's powerful header found the back of the net, igniting jubilant celebrations among the Liverpool faithful.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
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