Salah wonder goal has Klopp purring despite draw with City
Oct 3, 2021, 12:44 AM | Updated: 12:46 pm
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scores their side's second goal, during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield, Liverpool, England, Sunday Oct. 3, 2021. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
(Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Mohamed Salah was too busy being asked about his wonder goal to get the chance to savor it again for himself so soon after full time at Anfield.
“I have to watch it to see,” the Liverpool striker said. “It’s a good goal. Nothing much to say.”
Others did the talking for him after watching Salah weave his way through the City defense, switch the ball between his feet and shake off the final attempted Manchester City resistance — a push by Phil Foden and an ineffective sliding tackle by Bernardo Silva — before befuddling Aymeric Laporte and striking off the far post into the net.
“Only the best players in the world score goals like this,” Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said. “It was the first touch, the first challenge he wins, then going there and putting it on his right foot and finishing the situation off like he did. Absolutely exceptional.
“Because this club never forgets anything, people will talk about this goal for a long, long time in 50, 60 years still when they remember this game.”
It was a game that ended 2-2 after Salah’s goal was canceled out by Kevin De Bruyne’s deflected strike as City came back for a second time to draw 2-2 at Liverpool in the Premier League.
Salah had created the opener for Sadio Mane in the 59th minute before Phil Foden equalized in front of the Kop with his first league goal of the season.
Even after De Bruyne leveled for the second time in the 81st, Liverpool had a late chance to win it. Receiving the ball near the far post, Fabinho controlled it with his left foot before preparing to shoot with his right when Rodri made the decisive tackle to ensure City avoided a second league loss of the season.
Chelsea leads second-placed Liverpool by a point at the top of the standings, with City a further point back.
City’s only loss so far was in the opening game of the title defense at Tottenham, which went on to win three straight games before losing the next three. That miserable streak ended Sunday when Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s strike and an own-goal by Matt Targett clinched a 2-1 win for Tottenham over Aston Villa.
Yoane Wissa scored in stoppage time at West Ham to lead Brentford to a 2-1 victory.
Leicester threw away a two-goal lead secured by Kelechi Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy as Crystal Palace substitutes Michael Olise and Jeffrey Schlupp scored to earn Patrick Vieira’s side a point.
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