Mohamed Salah's expression was one of shock as he left the Anfield pitch, his final home appearances potentially cut short by a hamstring issue. The scene was all too familiar: Liverpool was leading 2-0 against Crystal Palace, and Salah embarked on a characteristic run from the right before delivering a precise back heel to Dominik Szoboszlai in the penalty area. However, the atmosphere shifted as fans realized what was happening.
Salah, clutching his left hamstring and reluctantly falling to the ground, gazed up at the sky, aware that his third-to-last appearance at Anfield might be over - and possibly his Liverpool career as well. The Anfield crowd rose to applaud Salah, who returned the appreciation, clapping for all four sides as he savored the moment before departing the pitch. With 439 appearances and 257 goals, could this be the abrupt end to his Liverpool tenure?
"We'll have to wait and see," hoped head coach Arne Slot. Tim Sherwood encapsulated the sense of inevitability on Soccer Saturday.
"This could mark the end of Salah's time in a Liverpool shirt," he said. "What a disappointing conclusion." Salah has known for weeks that his nine-year stay at Liverpool would come to an early close on May 24.
Few could have envisioned the final chapter unfolding in this manner, with him being forced off not on his own terms. "If we were 6-0 up and I took him out two minutes before the end, he'd still want to score two more," said Slot.
"For Mo to leave the pitch, that tells you something, but we have to wait and see how severe it is." This season has been challenging for Salah, marked by a public disagreement with Slot and a campaign that failed to gain momentum. Liverpool has struggled to mount a serious title challenge or secure silverware, and Salah's numbers have reflected this decline. His 21 goal contributions represent his lowest return at the club, a stark contrast to the 34 goals and 23 assists he achieved last season. Salah's injury also encapsulates Liverpool's misfortune.
"It's the story of our season," said Slot. Liverpool hosts Chelsea on May 9, following their visit to Manchester United on May 3, live on Sky Sports, before what should be Salah's grand farewell against Brentford on the final day of the season.
He faces a tight deadline. "Mo has taken excellent care of his body, so he'll have the minimum time required to recover from an injury. Let's hope for the best that he's available for the last part," added Slot.
But if he's unable to make one last run down the right wing at Anfield, then his Liverpool career will feel strangely incomplete. And for a player who made a habit of crafting his own conclusions, it would be one he never got to finish.
Sunday, May 3: Man Utd (a) - kick-off 3:30 pm, live on Sky Sports Saturday, May 9: Chelsea (h) - kick-off 12:30 pm Sunday, May 17: Aston Villa (a) - kick-off 3 pm Sunday, May 24: Brentford (h) - kick-off 4 pm Play Super 6 for a chance to win £250k! Enter for free.