Mohamed Salah keeps writing his name into football folklore, extending an extraordinary 10-year European record after tearing Kuopion Palloseura apart for Trabzonspor.
But as the Egyptian King continues to light up the UEFA Conference League, Liverpool fans are left watching from afar wondering what might have been as Andoni Iraola’s new revolution takes shape at Anfield.
It is a feeling every Liverpool supporter knows all too well by now. You sit down, open your phone, and there it is: another record broken, another jaw-dropping stat, another iconic European moment only this time, it isn't happening in the famous red shirt of Liverpool.
Mohamed Salah produced yet another masterclass on Thursday night as Trabzonspor claimed a 4-2 victory away against Finnish outfit Kuopion Palloseura in their UEFA Conference League opener.
Naturally, the 34-year-old was right at the heart of the action, setting up Paul Onuachu just three minutes in before grabbing a goal of his own before the break.
Salah and more serving up some incredible finishes on Matchday 1! 💫
— UEFA Conference League (@Conf_League) October 15, 2026
Which goal is your favourite? #UECLGOTD | @FlixBus_DE pic.twitter.com/Rze9Voa9dF
It was classic Mo Salah. Arriving late to meet a loose rebound, the Egyptian arrowed a first-time strike off the underside of the crossbar from an impossibly tight angle. It was a goal of pure quality the kind we spent glorious years taking for granted on European nights at Anfield.
And, right on cue, the statistical history books had to be rewritten.
Per Opta, Thursday’s showing marked the 13th time since the start of the 2017/18 season that Salah has both scored and assisted in the same game across major European competitions.
That is a staggering four times more than any other player on the continent over the last decade.
Even more remarkably, his display in Finland made him only the third player in history alongside current Red Cody Gakpo and former German international Mario Götze to score and assist in the same game across all three of UEFA’s major club competitions (Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League).
It caps off an incredible start to life in Turkey for Salah. With eight goals and four assists in just 10 appearances, he is currently averaging a goal involvement every 63.9 minutes for Trabzonspor.
Add in his domestic form where he became the fastest player in Süper Lig history to hit 10 goal involvements (doing so in just seven games) and it is clear the Egyptian King hasn't lost an ounce of his magic.
For those of us watching back on Merseyside, it brings a real mix of emotions.
The bitter end to his time at Anfield still stings. The breakdown in relationship between Salah, former manager Arne Slot, and former sporting director Richard Hughes brought a chaotic, frustrating end to one of the greatest player-club partnerships in modern football history.
At 34, questions were naturally asked about whether his body could sustain the relentless physical demands of the Premier League and elite-level Champions League football week in, week out.
Yet, as Andoni Iraola begins building his high-pressing tactical revolution at Anfield, you can't help but feel a pull of nostalgia.
Iraola's direct, high-intensity system has already brought plenty of excitement highlighted by that frantic 6-3 Champions League win over LASK but when games get tight, Liverpool fans will always miss that guaranteed moment of genius that No. 11 provided for so long.
Seeing Fabinho step off the bench for Trabzonspor on Thursday even if he missed sharing the pitch with Salah, who was withdrawn on 55 minutes to manage his workload was a stark reminder of how quickly football moves on.
An entire era has shifted.
Liverpool are evolving into something new under Iraola, but Mohamed Salah’s legacy isn't going anywhere. Whether he’s doing it under the lights at Anfield or on a chilly night in Kuopio, "only Mo Salah" remains the ultimate standard in European football.
Add us as a preferred source on Google