Advertisement

Mohamed Salah scores twice, Liverpool escapes Crystal Palace

By Alex Butler
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scored twice in a 4-3 win against Crystal Palace on Saturday at Anfield in Liverpool, England. Photo by Nigel Roddis/EPA-EFE
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scored twice in a 4-3 win against Crystal Palace on Saturday at Anfield in Liverpool, England. Photo by Nigel Roddis/EPA-EFE

Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Mohamed Salah scored two goals in the second half of Liverpool's comeback 4-3 victory against Crystal Palace on Saturday at Anfield in Liverpool, England.

Salah reached 50 career Premier League scores in 72 appearances during the win.

Advertisement

"First half they played well and they played well also [in the] second half but they were staying [close] to the box and it was a tough game. But in the end the most important thing for us is the result and we had a good result," Salah told reporters.

"We conceded three goals, it's hard a little bit but we have to accept it. This is football and we have to live with that."

Andros Townsend gave Palace a 1-0 lead at the 34th minute and the road squad held the advantage through the halftime whistle. Salah got his first goal int he 46th minute to equalize the Premier League spat.

Defender Virgil van Dijk hit a shot that was deflected by the Palace defense on the play. The ball came down to Salah, who touched a shot around Palace keeper Julian Speroni on the play. Roberto Firmino put in the go-ahead score in the 53rd minute for the Reds before James Tomkins hit an equalizer in the 65th minute for Palace.

Advertisement

The Salah returned to the score sheet. Speroni deflected away a James Milner cross during that sequence. The ball again came out to Salah, who tapped it into the net for a 3-2 advantage in the 75th minute.

"Exceptional -- an exceptional achievement from a world-class player, that's how it is," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said. "I think he made a few steps in the last couple of months in the right direction, so it's really, really an outstanding number. I heard the names of the other players who did it a bit quicker: Alan Shearer, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Andy Cole -- yeah, good strikers as well!"

"Maybe he would've scored more earlier if I wouldn't have played him that often on the right wing, so [that's] my fault! But no, it's not bad and it helped us a lot and the boys know that. I think it's a typical win-win situation: he benefits from the style of play with the other boys and the boys benefit, of course, with his scoring desire, so that's cool."

Milner found the net himself in the 89th minute for a two-goal edge. Max Meyer scored in the 94th minute for Palace.

Advertisement

The Reds host Leicester City at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at Anfield.

Latest Headlines