FootyChatter.com

Join The Club for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation plus sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the

Terms & Conditions

and

Privacy Policy

and are aged 16 or over.

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

Football Quizzes Quick quizzes for football fans. Football Crosswords Football-themed crossword challenges.

Explore your membership

benefits.

Find the subscription that suits you

We’ve highlighted the subscriptions our members get the most value from.

As 'You’ll Never Walk Alone' belted out from the away corner at the end of the first Merseyside derby at Everton’s new home, on the pitch goalscorers Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk led the Liverpool team over to their triumphant fans

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member features. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Want to add more newsletters? Five times a week Four Four Two Daily Fantastic football content straight to your inbox! From the latest transfer news, quizzes, videos, features and interviews with the biggest names in the game, plus lots more. Once a week . .. And it’s LIVE! Sign up to our FREE live football newsletter, tracking all of the biggest games available to watch on the device of your choice. Never miss a kick-off! Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Ibrahima Konate pushed Salah forward to receive the applause of the travelling Kopites, the Egyptian having marked his final Merseyside derby appearance by equalling Steven Gerrard for most goals in this fixture in the Premier League. Then it was Andy Robertson’s turn, although the Scot needed some convincing to receive his applause. Both Salah and Robertson will depart the club after nine years this summer. Fans have five more fixtures to savour two true legends of the club, not just for their contributions on the pitch, but also their leadership and dedication away from the pitch, in training and how they dedicate themselves.

Salah and Robertson are two true leaders, each in their own unique way. Salah through the way in which he conducts himself and leads by example in his approach to fitness, in particular. Robertson, through his character, hard work and camaraderie. Attributes that can't be valued on a spreadsheet that every club needs in order to be successful. Get VIP Liverpool tickets HERE with Seat Unique! Seat Unique tickets at Anfield offer a fantastic matchday. You get premium padded seats in the new Anfield Road stand (Block AM5, front rows) and access to the Brodies Lounge for three hours pre-match. Enjoy street food, a complimentary half-time drink, a matchday programme, and entertainment, including a Liverpool legend appearance, making it a truly elevated experience. The duo will leave a huge void in the Liverpool changing room. They’ll also be badly missed on the pitch. Both can still contribute at the top level, as they proved at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Are they both being discarded too soon? Many Liverpool fans would certainly say so. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Salah, for all his drop in form this season, still has 21 goal contributions to his name and is very much the nexus of this side, the go-to player in Liverpool’s attack. Only four players on the pitch had more touches than the 33-year-old, who completed 34 passes - 16 more than Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak combined. Robertson, meanwhile, again showed what Liverpool have missed this season without him, making more passes into the final third than any outfield player. The Scot’s ability to play from the back is underrated and certainly something Milos Kerkez isn’t able to do to the same effect. And then there’s Van Dijk. The absolute leader of this side, who won the derby with his header in the 10th minute of stoppage time to conjure memories of his derby winner on his debut in another 2-1 win back in 2018.

It was a goal he was reminded of post-match in an interview with Sky Sports, but which he was quick to instead focus on his unhappiness at how this season is ending for Liverpool. “Today was massive, in the situation that we are, in hunt for the Champions League spots, ” the captain said, “Obviously that is definitely not Liverpool-worthy, in my opinion, but it is the reality and it was important we got the win today. I’m glad we did. ” That reality is one that doesn’t make great reading for a team that had far greater ambitions coming into this season, now playing out the end of the season with the sole aim of finishing in the top five and thus securing Champions League football next season.

Not that Salah or Robertson will be playing in the Champions League for Liverpool next season, but they both have a lot more to give at the very top level. Van Dijk made clear his thoughts post-match, with Salah looking somewhat emotional as his captain described his importance to the club and the team. “He’s so important for us on and off the pitch, ” said Van Dijk. “I would say the appreciation sometimes comes when a player is gone, but we appreciate him so much. “He’s an outstanding teammate to have, obviously everything we’ve been through together - highs, lows - and he will still be important for the five games we have to play. It will be emotional for him and his family for sure, but for us also because he meant a lot to me, and to the team. ” Salah was named Sky’s Player of the Match. “Hopefully I go out, farewell, in the right way, ” he said. It seems a strange way for a player who clearly has so much still to offer, to be leaving on a free transfer. As far as baffling decisions from football clubs go, this is right up there. The irony is, Salah’s goals this season may save Arne Slot’s job, just as last season his 29 Premier League goals played a huge part in winning the title. Matt Ladson is the co-founder and editor of This Is Anfield, the independent Liverpool news and comment website, and covers all areas of the Reds for Four Four Two – including transfer analysis, interviews, title wins and European trophies. As well as writing about Liverpool for Four Four Two he also contributes to other titles including Yahoo and Bleacher Report. He is a lifelong fan of the Reds. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Four Four Two is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

©

Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury,

Bath

BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait. ..