Key Takeaways: Liverpool v West Ham
By Taylor Smith
Consistent Salah on Pace for Golden Boot
Even though this match won’t likely make Mohammed Salah’s career highlight reel, he now has 7 goals in 7 games and trails Heung-min-Son, currently on 8 goals, in the race for the Golden Boot.
His assured penalty toward the end of the first half gave Liverpool the momentum heading into half time and really changed the complexion of the match going forward.
More from Analysis
- Unlocking the Transfer Market Value of Evan Ferguson: A Comprehensive Analysis
- Unveiling the Strategy: How Marc Cucurella Fits in Manchester United’s Game Plan
- Are Manchester United title favourites with Hojlund signing?
- Premier League players who could win UEFA Nations League this year
- Promoted Team Preview: Vincent Kompany’s Burnley look to surprise
Salah was most certainly the beneficiary of a moment of madness from West Ham defender Arthur Masuaku, but he still needed to step up and finish the job from the spot.
His confidence from those situations should be sky-high, having converted a penalty in the UEFA Champions League midweek and having converted his last 12 of 13 attempts since joining Liverpool.
Penalty aside, Salah was not his fearsome best on this occasion. He made a few bad decisions in the final third, for example trying to find Mane through the crowded middle when the better option would have been to play in a streaking Jota to his left.
But these games happen, especially when the opposition sets up very defensively as West Ham did.
This season, however, Salah is finding a way to deliver game-changing moments with the one or two clear chances he gets in tight games. Luckily for Liverpool, the injury bug hasn’t affected the fearsome front three, and Liverpool supporters will be hoping it stays that way. An injury to Salah and prospects for this campaign would look much different.