Mohamed Salah is 34 years old. He is supposed to be slowing down. Someone forgot to tell him that. The Egyptian King produced another vintage performance on Sunday as Liverpool swept aside Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 at a raucous Anfield in the Premier League's opening weekend, sending a warning to every title rival that the Reds mean business in the 2026/27 campaign.
A goal, two assists, and a performance full of the directness and intelligence that has made Salah one of the greatest players ever to pull on a Liverpool shirt. Some things, it turns out, do not change.
Liverpool Dominate From the Off
Arne Slot's Liverpool came into the new season with high expectations after finishing runners-up last term, and from the moment the whistle blew they were clearly intent on making a statement. The pressing was relentless, the movement off the ball intelligent, and Tottenham — who had made three summer signings — found it impossible to get a foothold in the match.
Salah opened the scoring in the 22nd minute in the simplest way possible: a precise run behind the Spurs defence, a perfectly weighted pass from Alexis Mac Allister, and a finish into the bottom corner that was, as ever, entirely effortless. His celebration was minimal — he has scored so many of these goals that the routine almost belies the brilliance.
Two Assists Complete a Dominant First Half
Liverpool doubled their lead ten minutes before the break, with Salah the creator. He picked up the ball thirty yards from goal, drove at the Spurs back line, and laid off to Darwin Núñez, whose low, driven shot gave the goalkeeper no chance. It was the kind of linkup play that has defined Liverpool's attack for nearly a decade.
Salah turned provider again in the 67th minute, this time with a delicate reverse pass that split the Spurs midfield and found Cody Gakpo — making just his second appearance for Liverpool after completing his transfer from PSV — in acres of space. Gakpo's composed finish made it 3-0, and Anfield erupted once more.
A late penalty gave Tottenham a consolation goal — converted by new signing Son Heung-min, who returned to his old club in a curious twist of summer business — but it barely registered on the afternoon's narrative.
Gakpo Makes Impression on Debut
For Gakpo, who only completed his move to Anfield earlier this week after a protracted negotiation with PSV and several other interested clubs, it was a dream introduction to Liverpool's passionate fanbase. The Dutchman looked composed and dangerous throughout his 45-minute cameo, combining well with Salah and Núñez and finishing with the ice-cold authority of a player completely at home at the highest level.
"He has settled in immediately," Slot said after the game. "The technical quality is there — everyone could see that. What impressed me today was his intelligence and his work without the ball."
Salah's Longevity Remains Jaw-Dropping
The post-match spotlight inevitably returned to Salah. He has now scored in Liverpool's opening league fixture of the season four times in the past six campaigns — a statistic that underlines just how consistently he shows up when it matters most. His partnership with Mac Allister in particular is developing into one of the most dangerous in the division.
"Mo is different," said Slot, with a laugh. "I came here having heard about how great he is. I still underestimated him. When you watch him every day in training, you understand why he keeps producing."
Liverpool face Brentford next weekend before a Champions League group stage opener in midweek. On the basis of this performance, the rest of the Premier League had better brace themselves for a long autumn.
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