LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 08: (SUN OUT, SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Mohamed Salah of Liverpool looks on prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield on March 08, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
It's not very often that Mo Salah gets things wrong at Anfield.
But even after scoring twice in the Reds' comeback win over Southampton on Saturday, taking him to a frankly ridiculous 44 goal involvements (27 goals, 17 assists) in the Premier League this season already, the Egyptian king was left red faced.
Salah, 32, thought his side were on the verge of breaking Premier League rules when Arne Slot and his coaching staff looked to send on a late substitute during their win on Saturday afternoon.
So much so that he needed referee Lewis Smith to explain to him that he was wrong and Kop boss Slot was right.
When Liverpool can win the Premier League title as Reds extend lead at top
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Salah was frantically trying to half the late introduction of Jarell Quansah in the 89th minute, as the England Under-21 international prepared to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Teams are, of course, typically restricted to making five substitutions per match, a rule that was expanded from three subs per game in 2020. And by the time Quansah was coming into the game, the runaway league leaders had already made five.
Liverpool made three changes at half-time with Alexis Mac Allister, Harvey Elliott and Andrew Robertson replacing Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones and Konstantinos Tsimikas. During the second half, Slot also brought on Diogo Jota and Wataru Endo.
Mohamed Salah celebrates his goal against Southampton
It was only after Smith explained to Salah that due to Southampton making a concussion protocol substitution in the first half - when Armel Bella-Kotchap replaced Jan Bednarek - both teams' limit was increased to six changes, as per the rules laid down by the International Football Association Board (IFAB).
If a team is mistakenly permitted to exceed the limit, the substitutions must be reversed and the incident reported post-match - and can potentially lead to games being replayed or even points deductions.
None of that will be any worry to Salah now however after his side came from behind - Nunez equalising and Salah scoring twice from the penalty spot - to move them 16 points clear at the top.
On his side's display, Salah admitted: "We were sloppy and slow in the first half. I don't think we played well today.
"The manager was a bit frustrated [at half-time]. His head was going for us.
"[But] If you want to win the Champions League or Premier League you have to win these games like that."
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