Liverpool's Egyptian star Salah shines with goals, support for Gaza

By Yunus Kaymaz

ISTANBUL (AA) - Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian star of the English Premier League team, Liverpool, shines with his goals and support for Gaza.

The 31-year-old has been since 2017, instrumental in helping Liverpool end a 30-year Premier League title drought and win the UEFA Champions League in 2019 -- a tournament in which he has reached the final three times in five seasons.

Liverpool currently are in the top spot of the League with 45 points, scoring 43 goals and conceding 18.

Salah, who shares the top spot on the scorers' list with Manchester City's Erling Haaland with 14 goals, also contributed to Liverpool's success with eight assists.

- Salah scored tons with Liverpool

Joined from Roma in the summer of 2017 for a fee of €42 million ($47.37 million), Salah has never scored less than 23 goals in a season with the Reds. Moreover, he has scored 30 goals or more in four seasons.

The Egyptian star overtook Michael Owen to enter the top 10 of the Premier League's all-time scorers with 151 goals.

Salah's performance in all competitions in his seven seasons at Liverpool is as follows:

Salah is also one of five Liverpool players to reach 200 goals in all competitions.

Footballers in Liverpool's history who passed the 200-goal threshold are:

- ‘Don’t get used to suffering’ in Gaza

Salah has not hesitated to post supportive messages on social media at a time when footballers supporting Gaza under Israel's violent assault have been sidelined or had their contracts terminated.

"What's clear now is that humanitarian aid to Gaza must be allowed immediately. The people there are in terrible condition," Salah said in a video published on social media after Israel hit a Gazan hospital.

"The scenes at the hospital last night were horrifying," he said. “The people of Gaza need food, water and medical supplies urgently. I am calling on world leaders to come together to prevent the further slaughter of any innocent souls. Humanity must prevail.”

"Christmas is a time when families get together and celebrate. With the brutal war going on in the Middle East, especially the death and destruction in Gaza," he wrote on social media during the holiday season. "This year, we get to Christmas with very heavy hearts and we share the pain of those families who are grieving the loss of their loved ones."

He urged fans to “not forget them (Palestinians in Gaza) and do not get used to their suffering."

Salah gave financial support to the people of Gaza in October.

*Writing by Selcuk Bugra Gokalp