Former Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara has opened up on what Mohamed Salah truly ‘deserves’ as the legendary forward prepares for his final Anfield farewell.
Heading into the Merseyside Derby on Sunday afternoon, it wasn’t a guarantee that Mohamed Salah would start the full-blooded contest.
Indeed, the two-time Premier League title winner would have to make do with a spot on the bench against Paris Saint-Germain, as Arne Slot’s side crashed out of the Champions League at the quarter final stage after, 4-0 on aggregate defeat over the two legs.
Arne Slot’s decision to restore his most dependable figure to the starting lineup for a high-stakes Merseyside Derby paid off handsomely at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Salah opened the scoring on the 28th-minute mark, after Everton had edged the early proceedings, with Cody Gakpo’s superb through ball, then easily put away by the modern-day Liverpool icon.
Off the back of scoring this goal coolly, on such a high-stakes stage, Salah has reaffirmed his spot among the Reds greats, ahead of him leaving at the close of the season.
Salah reminds us all that class is permanent
There had been a grave danger that Salah’s swansong campaign at Anfield would end in a dire way.
Of course, he won’t be hoisting any trophies aloft, with Liverpool now out of any chance of silverware, but he still reminds us all that his class is permanent when he registered his 193rd Premier League goal, to break the deadlock at the Hill Dickinson.
This confidently taken opener against David Moyes’ hosts also means Salah now has a staggering nine career goals next to his name, when taking part in the intense Merseyside Derby, with the Egyptian tying with Steven Gerrard, subsequently.
Crowned as Sky Sports’ Man of the Match at the full-time whistle, the number 11 really is Liverpool royalty, with life very much left in Salah’s legs.
Liverpool is rumoured to have RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande in mind to replace Salah, but until the summer, Reds fans must continue savouring their icon, in all his glory.
Former Anfield midfielder Thiago Alcantara has shared his thoughts on both Salah and Andy Robertson, winding down their respective Reds careers, with the former Barcelona battler full of praise for his ex-teammates.
“They are legends of the club” – Thiago waxes lyrical about Salah & Robertson
Robertson didn’t quite have the same jaw-dropping impact on the Merseyside Derby that his 33-year-old teammate did, but the Scotsman still went about his business in a workmanlike way, winning his fair share of tackles and duels.
With 375 Liverpool appearances under his belt, Robertson’s departure at the close of the season will be another bitter pill to swallow, with Thiago gracing the Anfield turf with the legendary pairing many times during the Spaniard’s spell on Merseyside.
Thiago’s Liverpool Appearances with Salah & Robertson:
| Season | Total Thiago Apps | Apps with Salah | Apps with Robertson |
| 2020/21 | 30 | 28 | 27 |
| 2021/22 | 39 | 36 | 32 |
| 2022/23 | 28 | 27 | 26 |
| 2023/24 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 98 | 91 | 85 |
The now-retired playmaker would speak at length about his adoration for the duo, particularly Salah, when quizzed about their impending exits by Sky Sports News.
He said: “They are legends of the club, they’re amazing football players.
“It doesn’t matter where they go. They will still be amazing football players.”
He also believes that Salah deserves the best possible send-off, with the 113-time Egypt international going on to seal two Premier League titles and a solitary Champions League title during his decorated time on Merseyside.
He further stated: “I haven’t been there, so I couldn’t have an opinion about it, but Mo deserves the best.”
Liverpool fans would have been sad to wave goodbye to Thiago in 2024, as he called time on his own esteemed playing career at Anfield.
Reds supporters have grown accustomed to this gloomy feeling, but in the case of Salah and Robertson, they will both receive a rip-roaring farewell when the final game of the 2025/26 season rolls around.
