Mohamed Salah's figures outstrip those of Liverpool's legendary stars

Liverpool scored a vital away win at Atlético Madrid on Tuesday, a result which leaves Jürgen Klopp's side in an enviable position in their Champions League qualifying group. The Reds top Group B with three wins from three and a win in their next game (against Atleti at Anfield on 3 November) would practically guarantee their place in the next round. It also turned out to be a hugely productive evening for Mohamed Salah who was on target twice at the Metropolitano. That brought up yet another club record for the Egyptian, who continues to edge past the benchmarks set by some of the greatest players ever to have worn a Liverpool shirt.

His brace against Atleti took his total for the season so far to 12 goals in 11 games. He has also created another four for his team mates, including a sublime, raking pass with the outside of his boot for Sadio Mané's opener against Watford last weekend. Salah has scored in every single game Liverpool have played this season bar one, the 2-0 win at home to Burnley back in August so he is averaging over a goal per game.

Salah streaks past Gerrard

In Madrid, Salah became Liverpool's all-time top goal scorer in the Champions League with 31 goals, edging past the previous record of 30, set by Steven Gerrard. The difference being that it took Salah almost half as long - his tally was reached in just 48 games, compared to the 97 appearances Gerrard made in the competition between 2001 and 2014.

Salah also became the first player in Liverpool's history to score in nine consecutive games (via Opta). Since converting a penalty against Chelsea in Week 3 of the Premier League, Mo has not stopped scoring - his victims include Leeds, AC Milan, Crystal Palace, Brentford, Porto, Manchester City, Watford and Atlético Madrid. On Sunday he will have the chance to extend that record against the Reds' biggest rivals, Manchester United at Old Trafford.

He is the joint-top scorer in the Premier League, with seven goals (the same as Jamie Vardy) and the second top scorer in the Champions League with five - one behind Ajax's Sébastien Haller. With 31 goals, he is just five away from equalling the record number of goals by a player with an English club in the Champions League - 36, shared by Kun Agüero and Didier Drogba. If Salah finds the net against Milan at San Siro on Matchday 6 (7 December), he will equal the record for the most consecutive goals scored away from home in the Champions League. He is currently on six and Agüero holds the record with seven.

And when looking at the raw data, Salah has pulverised the figures set by most of the club's legendary players - club icons such as Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler, Roger Hunt, Fernando Torres and Luis Suárez. His goals-per-game average stands at 0.64 - better than any other Liverpool player in history (Luis Suárez is closest with 0.62 (83 goals in 133 games) while Rush, the all-time top scorer with 346 goals, averaged 0.53 and Dalglish, for many the club's greatest player, averaged 0.32 goals per game. 

Liverpool's legendary goal scorers

During his first four seasons at Anfield, Salah has only dipped under 20 league goals per season once (2019/20 when he finished on 19). Comparing that to the numbers of some of the club's most eminent marksmen underlines what an impressive achievement it is - Fowler and John Aldridge both registered 20+ league goals in one season twice, Rush managed it four times while Owen never got over 19 league goals in one season during his eight seasons at Anfield. 

Salah's consistency in front of goal places him alongside one of the club's greatest strikers Roger Hunt, who passed away just a few weeks ago. Hunt scored 20 goals or more in five First Division campaigns although when the league was played over 42 games not 38. He remains Liverpool's maximum goal scorer of all-time in the league with 244 goals in 404 games, an average of 0.6 goals per game. But Salah's strike rate is marginally better - his Premier League average is 0.66 (102 goals in 153 games).

The Egyptian is in the list of 30 nominees for the this year's Ballon d'Or although strangely, he is not among the favourites to win the award as far as the bookies are concerned. Neverthless, Salah continues to make a strong case to win it and several commentators have noted that judging by his current form (capped by two brilliant goals against City and Watford), right now he is one of the top three players in the world as well as a Liverpool legend.