Never mind drawing Manchester City in the quarter-final, driven by a masterclass in finishing from Mohamed Salah, Liverpool took a huge step towards ensuring they play in the Champions League next season, moving seven points clear of Chelsea in fifth place.
And in the process, scoring four magnificent goals (as well as setting up the fifth), Salah took himself ahead of Harry Kane at the top of the Premier League goal charts with a tally of 28.
“That was quite exceptional,” said the Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp of his free-scoring forward’s performance. “A very impressive man, coping with the difficult conditions. Everybody suffered in that situation, but not Mo.”
It is hard to imagine, after this brutal dismantling, that the two sides had shared the spoils in a 3-3 draw at Vicarage Road back in August.
“I love how we have developed since then,” Klopp wrote in his programme notes. And no one has developed like Salah. From the man Jose Mourinho casually discarded at Chelsea into a Premier League goal machine, his progress in eight months on Merseyside has been extraordinary. He now has 36 goals in all competitions.
Within barely three minutes here he had netted. Georginio Wijnaldum, returning to the side after the defeat at Old Trafford, sent him forward with a fine through ball. Salah took it in his stride, dummied, left Miguel Britos on his backside, then pushed his shot beyond Orestis Karnezis.
BANJARMASINPOST.CO.ID - Pahlawan kemenangan Liverpool, Mohamed Salah, mendedikasikan empat golnya versus Watford, untuk para rekan setimnya.
Mohamed Salah mencetak 4 gol pada kemenangan 5-0 Liverpool atas Watford di Stadion Anfield, Sabtu (17/3/2018) waktu setempat atau Minggu dini hari WIB.
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Gol-gol Salah tersebut melengkapi sumbangan gol Roberto Firmino pada menit ke-49.
Dilansir BolaSport.com dari BT Sport, Salah mendedikasikan semua golnya bagi para rekan setimnya.
Winger Liverpool, Mohamed Salah, usai mencetak gol ketiganya ke gawang Watford pada lanjutan laga Liga Inggris pekan ke-31 di Stadion Anfield, pada Sabtu (17/3/2018) atau Minggu dini hari WIB. LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP
"Saya harus berterima kasih khususnya untuk para rekan setim saya. Tanpa mereka, saya takkan mencetak gol seperti ini. Saya selalu berusaha mencetak gol, tetapi hal terpenting adalah kami meraih tiga poin," ujarnya.
Pemain asal Mesir tersebut kini sudah mengoleksi 36 gol di semua ajang kompetisi pada musim 2017-2018.
Salah juga menilai bahwa kemenangan tersebut sangat penting setelah mereka kalah 2-1 dari Manchester United pada 10 Maret 2018.
"Liverpool menunjukkan reaksi yang bagus setelah melawan Man United dengan kemenangan tanpa kebobolan. Hal itu yang terpenting," ucap Salah.
34 - Salah has now scored more goals than any other Liverpool player in their debut season at the club. Historic. https://t.co/5fxjDuxLwr
