Mohamed Salah makes more Champions League history in trademark style as Liverpool beat Bologna: “You just can’t stop him”

Mohamed Salah made history for Liverpool as their impressive start to life under Arne Slot continued with a 2-0 win over Bologna in the Champions League.

It was always going to be a big task following Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. The German won all there was to win in his almost-nine-year stay at Anfield and transformed the club.

Before Klopp, Liverpool were in danger of fading into obscurity just outside the top four, looking set to become also rans and Europa League regulars. But they are an English football powerhouse once again.

And it looks like they won’t be slowing down with a new man at the helm. In fact, Slot has picked up exactly where Klopp has left off.

After six games in the Premier League, Liverpool are top of the table, one point clear of Manchester City and Arsenal. They’ve also won two out of two in the Champions League, one of seven teams to have maintained a perfect record a the start of the new league phase.

The Reds have beaten a pair of Italian teams in the Champions League so far, combining their opening 3-1 win over AC Milan with a 2-0 victory against Bologna on Wednesday.

It was a hard-fought game for Liverpool, with goals coming in either half from Alexis Mac Allister and Salah. The Reds just edged possession with 51.5% of the ball, and were outshot by their Italian opponents 12-9. However, they did hit the target four times compared to Bologna’s two.

“There was not much I was delighted with,” Slot told TNT Sports. “I was delighted with the two goals.

“I was delighted with [Gravenberch]. Ryan was again outstanding today. I was delighted with how Ibou [Konate] and Virgil [van Dijk] threw themselves at every ball and wanted to keep the clean sheet.”

The first was scored by Mac Allister and set up by Salah, before the Egyptian put Liverpool in control with a trademark finish. He cut in from the right onto his left foot and curled the ball into top corner of the net, giving the goalkeeper no chance.

“World-class player,” was Peter Crouch’s assessment on TNT’s coverage.

“The moment he cuts onto his left foot you know what he’s going to do but you just can’t stop him.”

Salah is now the third player to score in five consecutive Champions League home games for a Premier League side, after Thierry Henry for Arsenal (seven) and Ruud van Nistelrooy for Manchester United (six). He has also both scored and assisted in nine different Champions League matches, the most of any player for an English side.

No African player has scored and assisted in more games than Salah, who now joins Samuel Eto’o on nine. But Salah does sit clear for Champions League goals among African players, moving one clear of Didier Drogba on 45.

“He’s a player that helps us a lot, sometimes it looks like he’s not in the game but suddenly a perfect touch, he puts the ball in the top corner. That’s his quality, his strength as well,” Alisson told TNT Sports of Salah.

“We are lucky to have him but we always have to highlight the hard work the team had and a lot to improve but good enough to win the game.”

This has been a good week for Salah love, with former Chelsea teammate Eden Hazard picking the Egyptian above himself on football ability.

This week, Hazard told Sport Bible: “He was good already. We played when he was playing at Basel. So we played in the year before [he joined Chelsea], and then we were like, ‘Wow! Yeah, we have this guy because he’s so good. And then you know in football sometimes you have ups and downs, and then what he did with Liverpool is like, ‘wow!'”

Asked who’s better out of Salah and himself, Hazard said, “Mo Salah, by far!”

The win means Slot is the first Liverpool manager to win eight of his opening nine matches for the club. He’ll be hoping to make it nine wins from 10 when Liverpool travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on Saturday.

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