Football Features

12 incredible stats from Mohamed Salah’s debut Liverpool season

By Harry Edwards

12 incredible stats from Mohamed Salah’s debut Liverpool season

Published: 7:45, 22 April 2020

When Mohamed Salah joined Liverpool from AS Roma in the summer of 2017, there were many doubts over whether he would succeed.

The Egyptian had previously struggled in the Premier League, failing to break into Chelsea’s first team after initially joining from Basel in 2014.

Salah lasted two-and-a-half years at Chelsea but spent 18 months on loan in Serie A first with Fiorentina and then Roma, before joining the latter permanently.

Upon his return to the Premier League, Salah quickly proved his doubters wrong, helping Liverpool in their push for Champions League football – and in the competition itself as they reached the final.

His performances domestically saw Salah named PFA Player of the Year for 2017/18, pipping Premier League winner Kevin De Bruyne and Golden Boot rival Harry Kane to first place.

But just how good was Salah in his first season at Liverpool? We’ve picked out 12 incredible stats from 2017/18 to demonstrate his wonderful campaign.

1. Highest-scoring African in a single Premier League season

As Liverpool looked to consolidate their place in the top four towards the end of the campaign, Salah couldn’t stop scoring.

In the Reds‘ 3-0 win over Bournemouth midway through April, the Egyptian got Liverpool’s second of the match and his 30th of the season, becoming the highest-scoring African player in a single Premier League campaign.

Salah overtook Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, who had previously managed 29 goals during the 2009/10 as he fired the Blues to a then-record-breaking 103 goals en route to the Premier League title.

But in the 2017/18 campaign, as a winger, Salah blew opposition defences out of the water with his dribbling skills, pace and vastly improved finishing ability.

2. Highest-scoring Egyptian in Premier League history

Before the thoughts of usurping Drogba would have hit Salah‘s head, the Egyptian had another record in sight, which he broke in February 2018.

When Salah found the net in Liverpool‘s 4-1 win against West Ham United, for the 23rd time, he became the Premier League’s highest-scoring Egyptian player of all time. He overtook Mido, who scored 22 in a six-season spell with Tottenham, Middlesbrough, Wigan and West Ham.

Salah is now 50 clear of Mido.

3. First Egyptian player to score a Premier League hat-trick

En route to reaching 32 for the season, Salah scoured four in a 5-0 win over Watford in March, becoming the first ever Egyptian player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League.

He was also the first Liverpool player to score three goals in one game under Jurgen Klopp.

4. Most Player of the Month awards in a single season

The 2017/18 campaign saw Salah become the first Premier League player to win three Player of the Month Awards in a single season, having won in November, February and March.

In November, he scored seven goals in four games and after two months without the award, Salah recorded another in February with four goals in three.

And the Egyptian won back-to-back Player of the Months in March following six goals in four games which helped Liverpool further strengthen their place in the top four and qualification for the 2018/19 Champions League which they would win.

No player has matched the feat yet.

5. Most left-footed goals in a single Premier League season

Having vastly improved on his finishing following his ill-fated spell with Chelsea, Salah scored 32 Premier League goals in 2017/18 – 25 of which came with his left foot – more than any other player in a single Premier League season.

It must be a Liverpool thing too, as Salah broke Robbie Fowler’s record of 19 set in 1994/95.

6. Highest scoring debut season for Liverpool in the Premier League

While his spell at Chelsea ruled him out of beating Kevin Phillips (30 in 1999/00) for most Premier League goals in a debut season, Salah had the best debut campaign for a Liverpool player.

Scoring 32 goals, the Egyptian bested Fernando Torres’ Premier League debut season of 24 goals during the 2007/08 campaign.

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7. First Premier League player to score 40+ goals in all competitions in a single season since Cristiano Ronaldo

As well as reaching 30 Premier League goals for the season, Salah‘s strike against Bournemouth took him to 40 across all competitions.

This was the most scored in a single season by a Premier League player since Cristiano Ronaldo managed 42 during 2007/08. But Salah did not stop at 40, with the Egyptian eventually hitting 44 in all competitions.

If there were any doubters still out there questioning Salah‘s amazing debut Liverpool season, take that stat in.

8. Third Liverpool player to score 40+ goals in a single season

Salah‘s goal against Bournemouth also made him just the third different Liverpool player to scored 40+ goals in all competitions in a single season.

Roger Hunt was the first in 1961/62, while Ian Rush managed it twice in 1983/84 and 1986/97 meaning Salah already is in the presence of Liverpool legends.

9. Most goals in a single Champions League season for Liverpool

Liverpool‘s journey to the 2017/18 Champions League final was very much down their front three, with Salah scoring 10 goals in 13 appearances.

This is the most any Liverpool player has managed in a single Champions League campaign, alongside partners in crime Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

10. First Premier League player to be directly involved in 50+ goals across all competitions in 2017/18

Fifty goals. Take that in. Salah’s phenomenal season saw him directly involved in 50+ goals in all competitions (42 goals, 14 assists) – more than any other player.

11. Most games scored in during a 38-game Premier League season

During the 2017/18 campaign, Salah scored in 24 different Premier League games. No player has scored in more unique matches, with Salah overtaking Robin van Persie and Cristiano Ronaldo (both 21) by finding the net against Bournemouth – what a match that was for the Egyptian.

12. Fourth player to score 31 goals in a 38-game Premier League season

Salah joined the elite group of Alan Shearer, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suárez when he scored his 31st league goal of the season in the 2-2 draw with West Brom. The Egyptian, however, is the only one of the four to do so in his debut season for a club.