Liverpool in the 21st century hasn’t been the team that stood the test of time as they did in the 1970s and 80s. Under Jurgen Klopp, they enjoyed fantastic football and won a lot, though not as much as they should have due to the behemoth installed at Manchester City.
Despite that, they have had two unbelievable players who would find themselves not just in one of the best teams the club has ever assembled, but towards the top of the greatest players the Kop has had the pleasure of witnessing.
Steven Gerrard and Mohamed Salah are special in their own right. Gerrard for his representation for the city, his never-give-up attitude, which helped them win their fifth European Cup in Istanbul and the FA Cup a year later against West Ham.
The Egyptian enjoyed success that the Scouser wasn’t able to, mainly through two Premier League titles, where he led the Reds on their charge to winning both titles. With so many unique moments, each one of his 257 goals for Liverpool means just as much as the other.
Anfield said goodbye to their legendary captain in 2015, and on Sunday, 11 years later, they will say goodbye to another modern-day hero who made the fans believe that they have the chance to become one of the biggest clubs in the land once more due to his out-of-this-world ability.
The Egyptian King has had countless matches where he has shown exactly why he has become the man on Merseyside, though perhaps the season that demonstrated just how good he was only came last year. While he was still one of the best around in 2023/24, many believed he was running close to the end of his course, and a new chapter was close on the horizon.
While it does come to an end on Sunday, he gave one last gift. The Premier League title. In 38 outings, his 29 goals and 18 assists, which confirmed another golden boot award alongside a playmaker of the year award, dragged the Anfield outfit to their second Premier League title, and level on league titles with their fierce rivals, Manchester United.
Gerrard spoke with the official Liverpool website, where he paid homage to Salah. He commented that when he was at his best, he felt something inside him that allowed him to dictate the course of a match, helping him influence the game. He said that several players did that during his time as a player, and Salah is in that group.
He said, “So in my time that would have been Ronaldinho, for example, [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Lionel] Messi, [Zinedine] Zidane, these bunch of players, Xavi and [Andres] Iniesta, where you felt as if they were just freaks when it came down to the level of football. Salah’s in that level, Salah is in that level. Don’t let anyone else tell you any different – he’s in that level.”
It has often felt like there has been disrespect thrown in the 33-year-old’s direction during his years at Anfield, despite winning vast amounts of trophies, and collecting individual awards like it’s nothing. While he’s experienced his worst year as a Liverpool player, he has still shown glimpses of what makes him the Egyptian King to Kopites.
Gerrard sees what some are afraid to admit, that Salah is, without any doubt, one of the best to ever do it at this level. The fans that travel to Anfield understand that, though, for delivering some of the best memories they will ever experience as a football fan.
It’s always tough to say goodbye to talents as good as the Scouser and the Egyptian, though they have set themselves in the class above, and been instrumental in making the club success, now it’s time for another to step up and take control of the reins.
