Mohamed Salah

The ongoing contract situation with the legendary Egyptian king remains a hot topic of discussion, but his performance on the football pitch makes a new deal seem inevitable.

When his Merseyside club needed him to deliver moments of magic, he did so again and again during a thrilling encounter at St James’ Park. The game seemed to get out of hand for the Reds on several occasions as fatigue and a lack of urgency affected their first-half performance. However, it was Curtis Jones who scored a crucial goal thanks to an assist from the club’s record attacker that brought his team back into the game.

With the game well balanced and a hero needed, two more goals came from the world’s best attacking player, who continues to thrive under pressure. His ability to elevate his performance and inspire those around him is unrivaled in the English top flight. Liverpool’s title hunt will be fueled by the goals and creativity of the legendary number 11.

Merseyside derby ahead

With the Merseyside derby just days away, this single point could serve as a crucial springboard to motivate his teammates once again. Without the contributions of Mohamed Salah – who was involved in three goals against Eddie Howe’s team – Liverpool would likely have returned to Anfield empty-handed after a poor performance.

Arne Slot understands the importance of this living legend who continues to amaze everyone who is lucky enough to witness his heroic deeds. Even if the end result had been justified, without Salah’s moments of precision and skill it could easily have become a disappointing defeat.

The goals and assists were first class and the performance was excellent. The Man of the Match award simply went to the man who outshone everyone else. The time to hand this 32-year-old striker a new contract is everything Liverpool fans want for Christmas because his performance shows he is at the level everyone else is aiming for.

Next up is Everton, where victory in this historic local rivalry is now an absolute necessity. Two points were lost today against a spirited opponent who was pushed back by the best player in the world.

Steven Smith’s pre-match prediction: Newcastle 1 – 2 Liverpool