Liverpool star “Mohamed Salah” expressed his happiness with his team’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday evening, in the tenth round of the English Premier League.
“Salah” scored his team’s first goal in the match, giving Liverpool their first league victory after a series of 4 consecutive defeats.
“Salah” seemed happy to score his 250th goal for Liverpool in all competitions, becoming the third player in the club’s history to achieve this number after the legends “Ian Rush” (346 goals) and “Roger Hunt” (285 goals).
“Salah” said in his statements to TNT Sports network: “The victory was very important. We lost some matches in the English League and the Champions League, but I am happy that we are back on the right track now. The victory is very important before big matches against Real Madrid and Manchester City. It’s a very important win for us.”
He added: “I have played football for many years. I said from the beginning that the season will be difficult for us, we have some great new players, but they need time to adapt to the team, and we also lost some good players. We just need some time to harmonize and understand each other on the field, and then everything will be fine.”
“Salah” concluded his speech by expressing his pride in the personal and collective achievement: “It is a wonderful feeling to score goals and win titles with a big club like Liverpool. This is something I don’t take for granted, I am very proud of that.”
It is worth mentioning that “Salah” equaled “Wayne Rooney’s” record, in terms of goal contributions (goals + assists) with one club in the English Premier League, as each of them has 276 contributions (“Salah” 188 goals and 88 assists with Liverpool, and “Rooney” 183 goals and 93 passes with Manchester United).
“Van Dijk”: Clean sheets are a feeling we missed
As for team captain “Virgil van Dijk,” he focused in his statements on the collective performance and defensive discipline that restored the team’s balance after a period in which their net shook a lot.
The Dutch defender said: “Winning is always a great feeling, and keeping a clean sheet after a long time is also a special feeling. But in the end, it’s just a win, now we have to rest and prepare for what’s coming.”
“Van Dijk” spoke about the tactical aspect of the match, saying: “In possession we were good, we were able to find the free player in several situations. We decided to play quickly because they press with two attackers, so our pivot player was free at times if we passed the ball fast enough.”
He added: “We made good movements behind the defense and created many chances to score, and the team’s collective defense was very good, and that made the difference today.”
“Van Dijk” spoke about the media and public pressure the team has experienced recently, stressing the need for steadfastness, focus, and not being swayed by criticism.
He explained: “Even in good times, we must continue to work and not stop. What I have noticed in the past weeks is that there is a lot of noise that you cannot control, and we have to deal with it as a team. Some of the criticisms are very ridiculous, but we are dealing with them. External noise may reach some players, but we stick together.”
The Dutch captain continued, emphasizing the team’s unity and fighting spirit: “We don’t go out on the field to lose or frustrate our fans. We want to give everything we have and win the matches, but there is no guarantee of that, as the English League is the highest level in the world.”
He added: “Now is the time to work hard, and not to overdo the joy or sadness. We live in a world where everyone can express their opinions through many platforms, and everyone thinks they know more. We must stay away from all that and focus on the effort and work we are doing.”
“Van Dijk” concluded his speech with a calm message bearing the nature of experience: “Last season, we made some mistakes and there was negative criticism, but the overall picture was positive. Now, even though we are not going through a disaster, it is portrayed as if we will be relegated to the first division. That’s how things are in this world.”
“Slot”: The players and fans felt the importance of the match
For his part, coach “Arne Slot” expressed his happiness with the team’s collective performance, stressing that the players showed a strong character against a competitor who was experiencing a good period of results.
The Dutch coach said: “What I liked most today is that everyone felt the importance of the match, whether the players or the fans. The players appeared wonderfully, although Aston Villa had an early chance when the ball hit the post, but after that everyone felt that this moment was the opportunity to prove that we are still in the title race.”
“Slot” also spoke about the decisive role of the first goal in raising the team’s morale, saying: “It was not the first time that we created a chance from high pressure, but a mistake from them gave us the lead.”
He continued: “In the second half we added another goal and kept a clean sheet. We were ready for the match today against a team in excellent condition, and the result was very good for us.”
Regarding the possibility of Dutch midfielder “Ryan Gravenberch” participating in the upcoming Champions League match against Real Madrid next Tuesday, after his return against Aston Villa after recovering from his injury, “Slot” pointed out: “It depends on how he feels after the match. The injury was in the ankle, which is different from muscle injuries. I think he will be able to play again, but we have to see how he feels after this match.”
He added about the rotation policy and the pressure of matches: “We have to be smart in managing the minutes because we only have 19 or 20 players available at the moment. When three or four players are absent, this means that the rest will play a lot of minutes, and with the national team entitlements, the burden becomes greater. But facing Real Madrid in itself gives the players extra energy.”
“Slot” concluded his speech confidently: “I think Ryan will be ready to play on Tuesday, but we will wait and see. The most important thing is that this match restored our confidence and motivation before a big European match.”
