Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah scored his 200th goal for the Reds in a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over 10-man Crystal Palace, with the Egyptian claiming that the current Liverpool team has a similar winning mentality to their title-winning side. The match, played at Selhurst Park, saw the Reds come from behind after a struggling first half where they failed to register a single shot on target. Palace were hoping to recover from a midweek defeat to Bournemouth, and the mood was lifted by Jean-Philippe Mateta’s opening goal, but it took a turn for the worse when Jordan Ayew was sent off in the 75th minute, with goals from Salah and Harvey Elliott denying Palace any points.
Speaking to TNT, Salah expressed his happiness at scoring the landmark goal in a winning effort, praising the team’s fighting spirit and highlighting the growth and potential of the newer players in the squad. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was effusive in his praise of Salah, revealing that the staff had been traveling with a special shirt to commemorate the milestone for the past two weeks, and he was relieved to finally present it to the prolific goal-scorer after the match.
In contrast, the mood in the Palace dressing room was somber, as manager Roy Hodgson expressed his disappointment at Ayew’s sending off, calling it unfair and revealing that the player was upset. Adding to their woes are new injuries to Odsonne Edouard, Sam Johnstone, and Jefferson Lerma, alongside the suspension of Ayew, leaving the team in a fitness crisis ahead of their upcoming match against Manchester City. Hodgson, who initially requested journalists not to characterize his mood, later admitted that “disillusioned” would be an apt description.
Overall, the match showed the resilience and spirit of Liverpool’s team, with Salah’s milestone goal encapsulating the fighting spirit that has defined the club. Despite Palace’s setback, the team will look to regroup and overcome their injury crisis in the hope of producing better results in their upcoming fixtures. The win has certainly buoyed Liverpool’s hopes for achieving something special this season, as they look to build on their early momentum and establish themselves as strong title contenders.