Liverpool wing king Mohamed Salah hit another two goalscoring landmarks with his brace in the Reds' 3-1 Premier League comeback victory over Southampton.
Despite suggestions from Arne Slot that Champions League hero Harvey Elliott could start after his winner against Paris Saint-Germain, Salah held his spot for the visit of Ivan Juric's men.
The 32-year-old and his teammates were found wanting in the first half, though, and Southampton took a shock lead into the break courtesy of Will Smallbone's effort after a defensive calamity involving Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker.
However, a Liverpool side reinforced by Elliott, Alexis Mac Allister and Andy Robertson came out a different beast in the second half, where Darwin Nunez drew the hosts level before Salah wrote his name into the history books.
The former Chelsea man converted two penalties as the hosts completed a second-half turnaround, and his first successful spot kick saw him overtake Gordon Hodgson as Liverpool's third-highest goalscorer of all time.
Salah chasing down Roger Hunt after Southampton brace
© Imago
Salah and Hodgson were both on 241 goals for the Merseyside giants before the weekend, but the former has now moved onto 243 efforts for the Reds, doing so in 390 appearances.
Salah now only trails Roger Hunt and Ian Rush in the Liverpool men's goalscoring charts, and he is 42 goals away from matching the former's record of 285, which he could realistically achieve with one more phenomenal goalscoring season.
However, that will of course be dependent on the Egypt international signing a new deal at Anfield, as he is still due to leave the club as a free agent in June when his current contract runs its course.
Salah will need to score another 103 goals to match Rush's all-time record of 346, though, and he would realistically need to sign at least a three-year extension if he is to have any chance of surpassing the legendary Welshman.
Nevertheless, Salah is still on course for the greatest individual Premier League season of all time as he now sits on 44 direct contributions for the season, 27 goals of his own and 17 assists.
Salah matches Thierry Henry, Erling Haaland Premier League record
© Imago
The 32-year-old has now matched the record for the most involvements in a 38-game season, as Erling Haaland in 2022-23 and Thierry Henry in 2002-03 also had a direct hand in 44 strikes.
Salah now just needs four more combined goals and assists to break the all-time record of 47, achieved by Andy Cole in 1993-94 and Alan Shearer in 1994-95, both of which were 42-game seasons.
However, the Egyptian - who has also drawn level with Sergio Aguero on 184 Premier League goals - admitted that Slot had some choice words for him and his teammates at the break, telling Premier League Productions: "It was a bit of frustration. His head was going for us.
"We were sloppy and slow in the first half. I don't think we played good today. If you want to win the Champions League or Premier League you have to win these games like that."
Nevertheless, the title-chasing Reds are now a staggering 16 points clear at the summit of the Premier League table before closest challengers Arsenal face Manchester United on Sunday.
Ben Knapton
