Mohamed Salah disclosed that he changed his boots at halftime during Liverpool’s 4-2 victory over Newcastle United, following a missed penalty early in the game.
Despite Liverpool securing a resounding win at Anfield on New Year’s Day, their first-half performance lacked clinical finishing. Luis Diaz had a goal disallowed due to a marginal offside, and Salah missed a penalty after Darwin Nunez was fouled in the box.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Salah admitted he swapped his boots at halftime, clarifying that it was not a superstitious decision but rather because he had only trained with the previous pair once before the game.
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“I missed the pen with the other ones I just trained with yesterday. It’s not superstitious because I play with many boots. But when I feel it’s going to play with my head, OK, out, change the boots! But I don’t like to go in the second half of this game thinking, ‘I didn’t score with this.’ So I just made my mind calm and focused on the game.”
Despite the missed penalty, Salah went on to score in the second half, giving Liverpool the lead. The game saw fluctuations with Newcastle responding to goals from Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo, but Liverpool secured the win with a second penalty converted by Salah after Diogo Jota was fouled.
Salah reflected on the intensity of the game and emphasized the importance of staying calm, praising the team’s talent and hard work. He expressed confidence in Liverpool’s abilities, stating, “If we manage to do that and work hard, and I see them work hard after training in the gym, that’s what makes us a winning [team].”
Salah will now join the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, seeking redemption after their defeat in the final of the 2021 edition.