Why Mo Salah’s unstoppable run of form is even better than you think

Mohamed Salah made it 12 games in a row with at least a goal or assist for Liverpool on Thursday night, but his run of contributions is even longer.

Liverpool’s 3-1 victory at LASK saw Salah score his third goal of the season and, in doing so, equal Thierry Henry’s European record.

Now, he and Henry are tied with the most goals for a single English club in any major UEFA competition, having both netted 42.

Salah did so in fewer games, with the Egyptian’s 42 for Liverpool coming across 65 games – 64 in the Champions League, one in the Europa League – while Henry’s 42 were in 85 – 77 in the Champions League, eight in the UEFA Cup.

His inventive toe-poke to seal the three points in Austria also made it 12 consecutive Liverpool games in which Salah has contributed at least a goal or assist.

Going back to April and the 4-3 win over Tottenham at Anfield, the 31-year-old has scored six goals and laid on nine assists in the last 12 fixtures.

That is a goal contribution every 65.4 minutes.

It is a remarkable tally only made better by the fact Salah has actually scored or assisted in 17 games in a row for the Reds, including the pre-season friendlies.

In clashes with Karlsruher SC, Greuther Furth, Leicester, Bayern Munich and Darmstadt, he netted twice and assisted seven times, making it eight goals and 16 assists in his last 17.

Discounting pre-season, Salah has made a goal contribution in 21 of the last 26 competitive games for Liverpool, starting from the 2-0 win over Everton in February.

Over those 26 games, he has scored 16 goals and assisted a further 13, averaging a goal or assist every 74 minutes.

Between the Merseyside derby and the win in LASK, Salah also turned out four times for his country, scoring in three of those outings for Egypt.

That means Salah has a goal or assist in 24 of his last 30 appearances for club and country, with 18 goals and 16 assists at an average of a contribution every 73.3 minutes.

In that run, he has teed up 10 different players, with Cody Gakpo the most regular recipient with three goals assisted.

Darwin Nunez, Roberto Firmino and Curtis Jones were all set up by Salah twice, with Luis Diaz, Andy Robertson and Diogo Jota also benefiting for Liverpool.

It is a stunning tally from a player in unstoppable form, with the No. 11 showing no signs of slowing down and vindicating the club’s decision to turn down record-breaking offers.