Liverpool considered making a huge call on Mohamed Salah before his history-making, match-winning penalty at Burnley. The Reds looked to be heading to a frustrating 0-0 draw at Turf Moor but the Egyptian's stoppage-time spot-kick ensured their 100 per cent start to the season continued.
Slot considered subbing Salah
Before the 33-year-old stepped up to secure Liverpool all three points on Sunday, manager Arne Slot mulled over whether or not to sub the winger after another underwhelming display. In the end, the Dutchman decided against that course of action, and now the table-topping Reds have four wins from four Premier League games this season.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhat Slot said
He told reporters when asked if he considered subbing Salah, "If you need a goal and things are not going really well – although in the second half I felt we were better and better and better and we came closer and closer and closer – but I thought about almost every substitution. But in the end, you always come back to, ‘I don’t want to leave this stadium with a draw thinking I didn’t bring all my attackers in, all the guys that can score a goal'. In another game, you may wonder if it is worth the risk to play with seven attackers, but against a team that plays with 11 players in their own 18-yard box, that’s not, I think, a big risk, then, and that’s why we decided to do that. And taking Mo off – if you need a goal, it will probably happen this season or maybe next season, but it probably won’t happen a lot."
Liverpool and Salah make history
Salah's goal was his 188th in the Premier League, taking him outright fourth in the all-time goalscoring rankings. The ex-Roma man is now ahead of Andrew Cole's total of 187 and is only behind Wayne Rooney (208), Harry Kane (213), and Alan Shearer (260). Moreover, the Reds became the first team in Premier League history to win four consecutive matches from a winning goal scored in the final 10 minutes or later.
AFPBusy period ahead for Liverpool
Following their win over Burnley, Liverpool have begun a hectic schedule of fixtures over the next few weeks. They begin their Champions League campaign at home to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, and then the Merseyside derby takes place four days later against Everton. Slot's side will have to play six fixtures in the space of less than three weeks.
