'Don’t fall for the hogwash' - national media rave about Mohamed Salah and make Liverpool title point

'Don’t fall for the hogwash' - national media rave about Mohamed Salah and make Liverpool title point

The national media's take on Liverpool's 3-2 win over Southampton at St Mary's on Sunday

Arne Slot speaks with Mohamed Salah during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Liverpool FC at St Mary's Stadium on November 24, 2024 (Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images )

Liverpool completed a turnaround to beat Southampton 3-2 on Sunday and go eight points clear at the top of the Premier League. Mohamed Salah struck twice in the second half after Adam Armstrong and Mateus Fernandes had cancelled out Dominik Szoboszlai's opener.

It means Arne Slot's league leaders can now go a whopping 11 clear of Manchester City with victory against Pep Guardiola's men on Sunday afternoon at Anfield.

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The ECHO was at St Mary's to provide its usual mix of player ratings, big match verdict and analysis of the game, while our colleagues from the national media were also on hand to give their own considered takes. Here's how they viewed it.

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The Daily Mail's Lewis Steele writes: "Liverpool's sporting director Richard Hughes, like most of us at St Mary’s, had lost his battle with the weather. His usually pristine combover had a life of its own and the Reds transfer chief looked frozen as he chatted away to friends in the posh seats.

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"Down on the pitch, however, his star player Mohamed Salah was making a mockery of everyone shivering away in the stands as he took off his shirt and flexed his abs to the travelling Kop.

"This is an all-weather player for every occasion. Whether Liverpool need a goal to turn a poor performance into a win against relegation fodder or they need a star performance to topple a title rival, Salah is still the man.

"So after another two goals here, the fifth straight game he has scored in, Salah further strengthened his hand at the negotiating table when it comes to his new contract. On the evidence of this season, Liverpool simply cannot allow him to sail away into the sunset yet.

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"If Hughes and the Reds top brass could not see this from up in the stands, Salah’s statistics speak for themselves: 18 games this season, 12 goals, 10 assists. This game marked a century of away goals for the club to take his total tally to 223 at Liverpool and a round 300 including his former teams."

Over on the Mirror's pages, Mike Walters writes: "Eight points clear - go on, count them. Mo Salah and Liverpool are going to take some stopping now.

"Only two sides - Newcastle in 1995 and Arsenal two years ago - have won 10 of their first 12 games and not gone on to win the Premier League title. They sphinx it’s all over? It’s too soon to book an open-topped double decker from the bus depot, but when Liverpool were in trouble at storm-tossed St Mary’s, inevitably it was their Egyptian king who came to the rescue.

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"That’s 13 goals for Salah this season. Both his goals here were gifts, but he’s irrepressible, irresistible, unstoppable. And for manager Arne Slot, fastest out of the blocks to 30 points along with Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti among Premier League managers, a white-knuckle ride was worth all the twists and drama.

"Don’t fall for the hogwash that Slot’s quietly measured approach is less exciting than predecessor Jurgen Klopp’s heavy metal football. Pragmatic? Efficient? Dull? You must be joking - this was a thriller which nearly turned the table on its head."

In The Times, Alyson Rudd focuses on Mohamed Salah, penning: "This was arguably the afternoon that marked Arne Slot’s full introduction to the extraordinary inherent beauty of the Premier League. Southampton, the division’s bottom placed team, scared the leaders, scored a goal that could end up being the best of the season and forced Liverpool to find their best level to extend their lead over Manchester City to eight points.

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"It was also a match that underlined just why the team and its supporters would be bereft if a new contract was not agreed to keep Mohamed Salah at the club beyond the end of this campaign. The Egyptian scored twice and, encouragingly, did not celebrate like a winger thinking of moving on. This was an absolute love-in.

"The Egyptian scored from the spot and promptly removed his shirt to celebrate in front of the travelling fans. Yes, it was a goal that might be seen as the moment Liverpool’s title challenge became unassailable but it was also a snapshot that underlined how much of a headache the bottom placed team had been. Salah was furious with himself when he smacked a volley against the post but it did not matter. This is looking very much like Liverpool’s season."

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And last but no means least, Ian Doyle, in his ECHO analysis, mused: "The big question for Slot before this game was, after another demanding international break, to which extent he turned to his South American contingent.

"Darwin Nunez was the sole starter, and appeared a little jaded in his attempts before the break to find space among a packed Southampton rearguard.

"His second half, though, was much more lively, helped in no small part by the arrival of Diaz from the bench in place of a subdued Cody Gakpo on the left flank.

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"Diaz almost scored with practically his first touch when a Nunez cross was just out of reach, while his close control and direct running helped keep Southampton pinned back during the decisive final period.

"And with Alexis Mac Allister quietly going about his business when also introduced and Wataru Endo once again successfully helping see the game out late on, Slot’s in-game management helped transform a costly defeat into a memorable win."

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