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Liverpool will once again look to their Egyptian talisman to lead them through the final stretch following Hugo Ekitike’s Achilles tendon rupture.

After the Reds’ eliminations from the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, Champions League, and the Premier League title race—if they were ever truly contenders—Mohamed Salah’s final appearances for Liverpool are now clearly defined.

The club will play six more Premier League fixtures before bidding farewell to Salah, the player most responsible for their resurgence on domestic, European, and global stages.

His legacy reached its pinnacle last year when he delivered one of the greatest individual performances in Premier League history, becoming the first player in English top-flight football to win the Golden Boot, Playmaker Award, PFA Players’ Player of the Year, Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year, and lift the Premier League trophy in the same season.

Since joining in the 2017–18 campaign, Salah has been Liverpool’s driving force. However, the current season has seen him gradually shift into a supporting role in Arne Slot’s evolving setup.

The summer arrivals of Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, and Alexander Isak signaled a clear shift towards the future, indicating that Liverpool were planning their next generation around these younger talents.

Despite criticism surrounding his form this season, Salah quietly reached his 20th goal involvement in 35 appearances with a goal in last weekend’s 2-0 victory over Fulham.

In the Champions League quarter-final against PSG, Liverpool went 125 minutes without Salah on the pitch before he replaced Ekitike in the 30th minute of the Anfield leg on Tuesday night.

Ekitike, who had been the only forward surpassing Salah in goal contributions this season, suffered a devastating Achilles tendon rupture, sidelining him for approximately nine months.

During the 125 minutes without Salah, Liverpool managed an expected goals (xG) of just 0.27 against the defending champions. After his introduction, that figure rose sharply to 1.87xG.

Within that period, Salah created one big chance as per Opta statistics, completed four key passes, and delivered a dangerous ball toward Ibrahima Konate and Milos Kerkez within a minute of coming on—although it did not officially count as a chance created due to a deflection.

It is evident that while Salah may no longer reach the extraordinary heights of his earlier Liverpool years or his peak last season, he remains the key factor behind the team’s attacking productivity and success rate.

With Ekitike’s unfortunate injury casting a shadow over the squad and Arne Slot’s leadership still under scrutiny, the responsibility now falls on Salah to once again lift his beloved Reds.

With limited attacking options, tactical challenges, and a void in leadership, the Egyptian King faces six more games to deliver what he has always done best for Liverpool—achieve success against all odds.

With Champions League qualification now the only attainable goal this season, Salah’s final six matches are no longer a farewell tour but a final mission—to lead Liverpool one last time as their central figure.

If he manages to do so, it would serve as the perfect conclusion to an already remarkable Liverpool career—something Salah himself is undoubtedly hoping for. The Reds will resume Premier League action in Sunday’s Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.