The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) revealed on Monday that Liverpool has clearly refused to release Mohamed Salah for Egypt's World Cup qualifiers due to coronavirus restrictions. Mohamed Salah was the first Egyptian player who became a Premier League champion after joining Liverpool in 2018 from Roma. He won the Premier League's Golden Boot award twice.
The EFA announced this in a statement posted on its social media, "The Egyptian Football Association had received a letter from Liverpool apologizing for the inability of its player, Mohamed Salah, to join the national team for next month's African qualifiers for the World Cup."
The letter of Liverpool reveals all the precautionary measures taken in England to stop the outbreak of coronavirus. These measures are forcing returnees to go through mandatory health isolation for 10 days upon their return to England.
The EFA also mentioned, "In its letter, the English club also expressed its hope that the Egyptian association would understand that it was forced to do so, in the face of the player being subjected to a quarantine."
Since Egypt falls into Britain's red list, therefore the 29-year-old needs to quarantine after his return from Cairo. Hence he will end up missing 2 Premier League matches.
Salah tasted positive for coronavirus in November. He visited Cairo to attend his brother's wedding and at that time he tested positive.
5 Foreign Stars Who Have Scored Most Goals in Premier League History
Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah secured his spot among an elite group of top three non-English players who have achieved remarkable goal-scoring milestones in English top-flight football by netting his 170th goal. Sportz Point breaks down the details of this exclusive club.
The Premier League has traditionally served as a platform for global talent, with players from all over the world displaying their abilities in one of the most competitive football leagues. Few international players have achieved remarkable heights making a lasting impression with their goal-scoring skills.
1. Sergio Aguero-184 goals
Many people consider Argentine forward Sergio Aguero among Premier League history's best strikers. Aguero, who played for Manchester City from 2011 to 2021, changed the course of history with his precision finishing and ability to score goals at pivotal times. He has the best goals-to-games ratio of any player with more than 150 Premier League goals, scoring an incredible 184 goals in 275 games.
Aguero's most memorable moment came in 2012 when he dramatically won Manchester City's first Premier League title with an injury-time goal against QPR. He became a legend for City and the league at large due to his reliability and ability to perform well in crucial games.
Thierry Henry, a French maestro, is known for his grace and skill in front of goal. Over two stints with the North London club, the Arsenal star scored 175 goals in 258 Premier League games. Henry won the Premier League Golden Boot four times, more than any other player in Premier League history, and was renowned for his incredible speed, skill, and ability to score spectacular goals on his own.
He scored 30 league goals and guided Arsenal to the championship during the undefeated "Invincibles" season of 2003–04, which was his most productive performance. Henry established the standard for what it meant to be a complete forward, his legacy endures even after retiring from football.
Since joining Liverpool in 2017, Mohamed Salah has become one of the Premier League's most prolific goal-scorers. With more than 150 goals to his name, the Egyptian forward has consolidated his status as one of the greatest of all time. Salah made an explosive start, scoring 32 goals in the 2017-18 season, setting the record for the most goals in a 38-game campaign before Erling Haaland broke it again with 36 goals.
Known for his blistering speed, sharp finishing, and relentless work ethic, Salah has been instrumental in Liverpool's recent successes, including their 2019-20 Premier League title. He may break more records as he continues to find the back of the net with remarkable consistency this season.
4. Robin Van Persie- 144 goals
Robin Van Persie, who scored 144 goals in 280 Premier League games, is renowned for his exquisite finishing and outstanding technique. He won the Premier League Golden Boot twice (2011–12, 2012–13) he played for Manchester United from 2012–2015 and Arsenal from 2004–2012.
His best season was 2012–13 when he scored 26 goals and helped United win their 20th EPL title. Van Persie was one of the most feared strikers in the league because of his versatility, and ability to score from a variety of positions.
5. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink- 127 goals
The Dutchman combined physicality and powerful shots to create a formidable presence in front of goal. Between 1997 and 2007, he made 288 Premier League appearances, scoring 127 goals while playing for Leeds United, Chelsea, Middlesbrough, and Charlton Athletic.
With two Golden Boot victories (1998–99 and 2000–01), he rose to fame for his long-range shots and clinical finishing. He is still regarded as one of the best strikers to play in a Chelsea jersey.
Liverpool secures narrow win against Southampton to extend their lead at the top of the table
Arne Slot's team had to dig deep late into the second half to secure a crucial victory against a very resilient Southampton side. Sportz Point brings you all the details
Mohammed Salah once again proved why he is one of the greatest wingers of his generation scoring 2 goals to give Liverpool the much-needed win against Kieran Mckenna's Southampton.
Liverpool dominated possession early in the match, but it was Southampton who threatened to open the scoring first as Mateus Fernandes tested Kelleher’s reactions from distance.
Dominik Szoboszlai gave Liverpool the lead with a superb strike in the 30th minute, but Southampton equalized before halftime through Adam Armstrong, who provided a deft finish in the 42nd minute.
The visitors kept on piling the pressure but Southampton was resolute in defending and getting back into shape as quickly as possible which made it difficult to break them down. this kept the scores tied heading into the break.
The Saints pulled ahead early in the second half when Mateus Fernandes scored in the 56th minute, capitalizing on Armstrong’s assist. However, Liverpool responded with intensity, as Mohamed Salah leveled the match in the 65th minute after a clever setup by Ryan Gravenberch.
Salah sealed the win with a calmly taken penalty in the 83rd minute, completing his brace and securing all three points for the visitors.
Southampton fought hard, with Fernandes and Armstrong among their standout performers, but Liverpool's attacking quality proved decisive. The Reds' resilience kept them in contention in the Premier League title race.
From legends like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to the new superstars of football, there have been many distressing goal misses that remain iconic and unforgettable. Sportzpoint explores the most shocking goal misses in Football history.
Football is a sport full of drama, distress, excitement, and unforgettable moments that are cherished from generation to generation. Goals are the highlighting factor that decides the fate of a team and that is why the near-misses leave the fans in agony and sometimes change the course of football's history.
These fumbles in front of the goal are surprising and unexpected at the same moment. In this article, we delve into the most shocking misses in football history.
Erling Haaland
(Manchester City vs Liverpool, 2022 FA Community Shield Final)
The Norwegian goal-machine emerged as an absolute cheat-code for Manchester City since his move to Man City in 2022. However, he came to England as and promising youngster but faced criticism from fans after his open goal miss in his very first match for Manchester City in the FA Community Shield Final on 30 July 2022 against Liverpool.
Phil Foden unleashed a left-footed strike in the seventh minute of injury time and it was denied by Liverpool keeper Adrian, but Erling Haaland wasted an open chance to score from the second ball as he hit the crossbar from a close range to the goal. Liverpool won the game by 3-1.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting
(PSG vs Strasbourg, Ligue 1 2018-19)
The Cameroonian International featured for teams such as Bayern Munich and Paris-Saint Germain, and he was a part of the PSG squad who were runner-ups in the UCL 2019-20. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting also scored the winner in injury time against Atalanta in the quarter-final of the same UCL campaign.
😳 We're not exactly sure what Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was doing here⁉️ The @PSG_English man denied his own teammate and left the ball sitting on the goal line. pic.twitter.com/blFnaPoOQA
However, Choupo-Moting got down in history for a bizarre instance in a 2-2 draw against Strasbourg in Ligue 1 during his first season with the French side. Christopher Nkunku successfully chipped the opponent keeper with a shot that was about to go in, but Choupo-Moting somehow stopped the shot on the line in an attempt to tap it in, but his intervention led the threat to get cleared.
Neal Maupay
(Brentford vs Cardiff City, EFL Championship 2017-18)
Neal Maupay, the French forward who spent most of his career in England, joined Brentford in 2017 and went on to be a headline for his incredible open-goal miss against Cardiff City in the 2017-18 EFL Championship.
On this day in 2017... 🗓
Neal Maupay pulled off one of the WORST misses you’ll EVER see for Brentford 🤯 pic.twitter.com/xD1Pd87wPE
The golden opportunity emerged as Ollie Watkins won the possession in front of the box by beating Sean Morrison in a duel and he fooled the keeper to pass it to Maupay, who only had an open goal in front of him.
However, Maupay took some time to slot it home as defender Sol Bamba ran onto the goal-line to stop the shot. Surprisingly, Maupay did not let Bamba do anything as he fired it inches off the post. Brentford eventually lost the game by 0-2.
Cristiano Ronaldo
(Manchester United vs Sheffield United, Premier League 2006-07)
Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the greatest footballer ever, also finds himself on this unfortunate list. The dreaded Portuguese netted the most goals in football history, although his unbelievable miss came in his early days at Old Trafford. Ronaldo wasted this open-scoring chance during a Premier League game against Sheffield United in 2006.
A sublime backheel by Wayne Rooney opened a space in front of the box for the Red Devils as Ryan Giggs intercepted the pass before cutting a grounder through Sheffield's defence. The ball comfortably found Cristiano Ronaldo but his strike flew over the crossbar from a very close distance to the goal.
Lionel Messi
(Argentina vs Trinidad and Tobago, Friendly, 2014)
Lionel Messi, the other footballer who is arguably considered the greatest footballer of all-time, has also entered this fateful list due to his unbelievable blunder for Argentina against Trinidad and Tobago on 4 June 2014, prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Angel Di Maria fired into the opponent box and released a comfortable pass before the ball could cross the goal-line, but Messi failed to respond quickly as the defender cleared the ball from in front of an open goal before even Messi could intercept.
Randal Kolo Muani
(France vs Argentina, 2022 FIFA World Cup Final)
This wasted scoring opportunity changed Argentina's football history as Argentina lifted the 2022 FIFA World Cup by beating France in penalties, following an unnerving 3-3 draw after extra time.
The 120-minute Final showcased a brilliant display of football ending in a 3-3 draw between France and Argentina, before going down to penalties to decide the world champion. However, France could have snatched the World Cup if Randal Kolo Muani was not denied by Emiliano Martinez in the last minute of the game.
The last minute save by Emi Martinez from Kolo Muani's shot will go down in the history as arguably the most clutch save in a World Cup Final and a very memorable for us Messi Fans. With that save I knew Messi was going to have a date with destiny. 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/BtfArjcFIs
A lobbed pass was intercepted by Kolo Muani in front of Argentina's box as Nicolas Otamendi failed to intercept, but Kolo Muani's first-touch attempt was denied by Argentina keeper Emiliano Martine who stretched his leg to stop the shot. Only 47 seconds were left before the final whistle! This miss will remain iconic for the heroic save by Emi rather than the blunder by Kolo Muani.
Fernando Torres
(Chelsea vs Manchester United, Premier League 2011-12)
Fernando Torres was arguably the top striker in the world in and around 2007 to 2010. Chelsea broke the British transfer record to acquire the Spaniard from Liverpool in January 2011. Somehow, 'El Nino' failed to replicate his Liverpool performance at Stamford Bridge, and his disappointing tenure with the Blues was highlighted by a moment during a match against Manchester United in September 2011.
Torres already scored the only goal for his team but Chelsea was behind 3-1. In the 83rd minute, Ramires played a beautiful through that cut the United defense open in half. Torres intercepted the ball and managed to ease past David de Gea with a skillful feint, having an open goal in front of him.
However, Torres surprisingly shot the ball wide of the post and missed the golden chance which went down as one of the worst misses in the Premier League history.
Yakubu Ayegbeni
(Nigeria vs South Korea, FIFA World Cup 2010)
Nigeria faced South Korea in a do-or-die match after two consecutive defeats in the Group stage of FIFA World Cup 2010, and Yakubu Ayegbeni crashed the headlines but not quite for the right reasons.
Midfielder Yusuf Ayila delivered a ball right into the six-yard box where Ayegbeni received the pass, but he missed the absolute sitter from inches close to the goal. The match eventually ended in a 2-2 draw and Nigeria finished at the bottom of the group.
Ilija Sivonjic
(Dinamo Zagreb vs Cibalia Vinkovci, HNK 2006)
Croatian footballer Ilija Sivonjic's open miss in 2006 for Dinamo Zagreb against Cibalia is widely considered one of the worst misses in football history.
In the 33rd minute of the game, one of his Dinamo teammates slotted the ball on target. Although it went past the opposition keeper, it was stopped by Sivonjic who attempted a backheel to tap it in. The ball inexplicably bounced off the goal line and one of the Cibalia defenders sent it out of play.
Ronny Rosenthal
(Liverpool vs Aston Villa, 1996)
Ronny Rosenthal started his Liverpool career very well, scoring 7 goals in his first 8 games. He even scored a hat-trick in his first game against Charlton. However, he couldn't keep up this great form later.
Ronny Rosenthal with one of the worst misses of all time vs Aston Villa, 1992. pic.twitter.com/rOf0NRFVDI
In 1992 during Pool's PL encounter against Aston Villa, Rosenthal wasted a golden opportunity to score. Rosenthal intercepted a long ball from David James and dribbled past the goalkeeper, but misfired his left-footed strike to hit the crossbar. This miss is still remembered as one of the worst misses in Premier League history.
Rosenthal later joked about this famous miss and said:
"Does it bother me? No it doesn't matter now. I'm glad it happened!
"I'm glad I missed because I'm still on the map [because of it]."
UEFA Champions League 2024-2025| Liverpool vs Leverkusen Match Preview, Head to Head Stats and Fantasy XI Prediction
Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen face off in an exciting matchup between two attacking-minded teams. Sportz Point brings you all the things to look for in the run-up to this match.
Liverpool enters this match in great form, currently at the top of the Premier League table following a last-minute victory over Brighton. Meanwhile, Leverkusen has experienced mixed results, yet they remain a strong and challenging opponent.
For Xabi Alonso, tonight marks a return to a stadium filled with cherished memories from his playing days, where he set records and achieved milestones. Nostalgia will undoubtedly be in the air.
From possible starting XIs to Fantasy predictions, here is everything you need to know about the League match of Liverpool vs Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League 2024-25.
The Merseyside club is enjoying one of their strongest runs this season, with just one loss in the English Premier League. They have also advanced to the League Cup quarter-finals after a solid victory over Brighton.
In the Champions League, Liverpool has won all three of their matches so far and currently sits second in the standings, trailing Aston Villa only on goal difference.
However, Arne Slot will be without experienced goalkeeper Alisson, who remains sidelined due to injury, along with Harvey Elliott, Diogo Jota, and Chiesa. French defender Konate is also a doubt, and his availability for the match remains uncertain.
Xabi Alonso’s season in the Bundesliga hasn’t quite met expectations, with his team currently sitting fourth after a weekend draw against Stuttgart—a match many fans anticipated they would win.
Their Champions League campaign, however, has been solid; with two wins and a draw, they sit comfortably with 7 points and could strengthen their position further by claiming all 3 points against Liverpool.
The German side has no major injury concerns aside from the absences of Mukiele, Amin Adli, and Belocian. Both teams are expected to field strong lineups for the clash.
These sides have only faced each other twice in the Champions League and once in an club friendly match and Liverpool has won all 3 times
Results from the 3 matches between the two teams
Date
Teams
Result
12/08/12
Liverpool
Leverkusen
3
1
09/03/05
Leverkusen
Liverpool
1
3
22/02/05
Liverpool
Leverkusen
3
1
It is safe to say that Liverpool has the upper hand in the fixture considering the current form and previous encounters between the sides.
Possible Playing XI
Liverpool
Caoimhin Kelleher (GK); Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson; Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister; Mohammed Salah, Gravenberch, Luis Diaz; Darwin Nunez.
Bayer Leverkusen
Lucas Hradecky (GK); Hincapie, Jonathan Tah, Edmond Tapsoba, Grimaldo, Andrich, Xhaka, Frimpong, Wirtz, Hofmann, Boniface
English Premier League 2024-2025| Shock Defeats for Man City and Arsenal as Liverpool's Late Comeback Sends Them Top of the Table"
Today’s fixtures delivered unexpected results. Manchester City suffered their first loss in 32 games, while Arsenal’s struggles in the league continued. Sportz Point brings you all the details.
In a dramatic twist to this week’s Premier League action, Manchester City and Arsenal both faced unexpected defeats, shaking up the title race. Manchester City’s unbeaten streak came to a surprising end, while Arsenal’s struggles continued.
Liverpool capitalized on their rival's loss to secure a late comeback, the victory has propelled them to the top of the table. Here's a breakdown of all the excitement
Arsenal fell to Newcastle at St. James’ Park, where Alexander Isak’s goal gave the hosts a narrow victory. Despite Arsenal's attempts, they struggled with creativity in the final third, This defeat marks a setback for Arsenal's title ambitions as they have gotten just one point from a possible 9 points across their last 3 fixtures.
Liverpool’s dramatic late comeback at Anfield pushed them to the top of the Premier League. Cody Gakpo equalized for Liverpool in the 87th minute, followed by Mohamed Salah’s stoppage-time goal, sealing the win after an earlier goal by Brighton’s Kadioglu.
Liverpool now leads the league with 25 points after taking advantage of City and Arsenal’s loss. Also, Mohammed Salah has become the 8th highest goal scorer in the Premier League just behind Thierry Henry of Arsenal.
In a surprising result at the Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth handed Manchester City their first Premier League loss of the season, ending City’s 32-match unbeaten run. Antoine Semenyo scored early in the game, and Evanilson doubled Bournemouth’s lead in the second half.
Josko Gvardiol scored a late header for City, but Bournemouth's solid defence and the heroics of goalkeeper Mark Travers preserved their victory, lifting Bournemouth to eighth place and dropping City to second on the table.
🔴 Liverpool beat Brighton to regain top spot 🔵 Man City suffer defeat away to Bournemouth 🌳 Nott'm Forest continue their impressive start by beating West Ham ♦️ Arsenal lose away to Newcastle