The pass from Mohamed Salah to set up Darwin Nunez’s winner against Newcastle yesterday was ‘out of this world.’
Nunez has taken the plaudits this morning after a phenomenal two-goal cameo that turned Sunday’s clash in 10-man Liverpool’s favour.
But in all the hoopla, it’s almost been overlooked just how good the pass to set the 24-year-old up was. Picking it up just outside the centre-circle, Salah fired an inch-perfect ball 30 yards through two Newcastle defenders. Nunez only had to touch it once.
Thankfully, Mo’s excellence hasn’t been completely forgotten about. Speaking on TalkSPORT this morning, Ally McCoist made sure to mention the quality of the assist.
“The timing of the pass from Salah was absolutely out of this world,” raved the pundit. “[Dan] Burn’s gone out, Nunez has gone in. Again, superb finish.”
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Salah the assister
Nunez’s late winner would have been satisfying to watch however it came about yesterday. Whether it was scrambled over the line or belted in from distance, Liverpool fans would have spent all Bank Holiday watching it.
As it was, it was a masterful cross-keeper finish from the Uruguayan. But the goal wouldn’t be half as nice to watch without the ball from Salah.
Last week, Mo predicted that he and Kevin De Bruyne would lead the way for Premier League assists this season.
With the Manchester City man potentially injured until Christmas, Salah has the chance to put a real marker down. Three matchdays into the Premier League season, no one has more than his two assists so far.
True, there are 10 other players to have registered the same number. But were they as good as the Egyptian’s?
His first was an incredibly precise through ball for Luis Diaz to finish at Chelsea. His second this, sublime pass to set up Nunez. According to Fotmob, Salah actually has two whole assists from a 0.5 xA.
It isn’t the first time the 31-year-old has been called ‘out of this world’ in his career. But that’s usually down to his super human ability to sniff out goals. Is there anything our Egyptian King can’t do?