Mohamed Salah’s hat-trick for Liverpool against Manchester United in the English Premier League on Sunday means that the Egypt international has equalled a club record that has stood for 85 years.
In finding the net thrice against the Red Devils, Salah became only the second player in the Reds’ history to have found the net thrice at Old Trafford.
According to Opta, the previous player to do this was Fred Howe, who achieved the feat in 1936, when he netted a treble against United.
Having represented Stockport County and Hyde United, the Englishman signed for Liverpool in 1935 but left the Reds to join Manchester City three seasons later.
Back on March 16, 2014, Steven Gerrard was on the brink of equalling Howe’s record when he scored a brace as Liverpool picked up a 3-0 win against the Manchester-based outfit.
Also, Salah becomes the first away player to score a hat-trick at Old Trafford since Ronaldo Nazario did so for Real Madrid in the Uefa Champions League in April 2003.
In addition, the two-time African Player of the Year winner – who eclipsed Didier Drogba’s mark to become the highest-scoring African in the competition’s history - is the first-ever Liverpool player to score in three consecutive away games against Manchester United in all competitions.
“As a team, I think from the beginning we just tried to play our football, we just tried to get the ball in between the lines – and I think we did that,” the 29-year-old told Sky Sports per Liverpool website.
“We tried to keep the ball as long as we could, create more chances. We were lucky to do that in the first half and score from that.
“We knew they would come and try to give everything to win the game, so just in our head was [that] we had to give 100 per cent, we needed to dominate the game. And I think we did it.
“To be fair, as [long] as the team keep winning, I’m more than happy. I’m always trying to give assists – the first one I could have gone alone but I gave it to Naby [Keita].
“I’m trying always to give my best for the team to win, which is the most important thing.”