By ROBERT SUMMERSCALES
Published: 05:35 EST, 2 December 2024 | Updated: 05:40 EST, 2 December 2024
Mo Salah powered Liverpool to a nine-point lead in the Premier League on Sunday with a dominant display in his side's 2-0 win over Manchester City.
Salah set up Cody Gakpo for the game's opening goal in the 12th minute before wrapping up the points by converting a penalty kick in the second half.
The Egyptian ace - who has just seven months remaining on his current contract at Anfield - has now scored 168 goals and provided 76 assists in 276 Premier League appearances.
Sunday's victory over City was the 36th Premier League game in which Salah had both scored himself and registered an assist.
That saw him equal a feat only previously achieved by Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney in the Premier League era.
Rooney also scored and assisted in 36 Premier League games during his career with United and Everton.
36 - Mohamed Salah has scored and assisted in a Premier League game for the 36th time; the joint-most by a player in the competition’s history, equalling Wayne Rooney’s record (36). King. pic.twitter.com/2RZVfB5mtz
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 1, 2024
Mohamed Salah has now scored and assisted in 36 different Premier League games after doing so in Liverpool's triumphant 2-0 win over Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday afternoon
Man United legend Wayne Rooney, pictured (left) celebrating a goal with Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2005, is the only other player in Premier League history to match Salah's achievement
In total, Rooney found the net 208 times and produced 103 assists over his 491-game Premier League career, which began in 2002 and ended in 2018.
Salah's first chance to break Rooney's record outright will come on Wednesday night when Liverpool travel to Newcastle.
The 32-year-old's scoring record for Liverpool is all the more impressive when you consider that he has spent the majority of his Premier League career playing on the right wing.
Conversely, Rooney played as a central striker for much of his time with Everton and United.
It remains unclear whether Salah's Premier League career will be extended beyond June next year.
Liverpool fans are desperate for their star man to sign a new contract but a move away remains a distinct possibility.
Salah was linked with a potential move to Paris Saint-Germain by the French press over the weekend.
Prior to joining Liverpool in 2017, Salah played for Al Mokawloon Al Arab, Basel, Chelsea, Fiorentina and Roma.
Salah set up Cody Gakpo (left) for Liverpool's first goal against Manchester City on Sunday
Liverpool's star man then netted the second goal himself, converting a 78th-minute penalty kick
Speaking after Sunday's win, Salah suggested in an interview with Sky Sports that he may never play in another Liverpool vs City fixture at Anfield.
'Honestly it's in my head,' he said. 'Until now this is the last City game I will play for Liverpool so I was just going to enjoy it.
'The atmosphere was incredible so I will enjoy every second here.
'Hopefully we just win the league and will see what will happen.'