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Salah Swaps Out Unlucky Boots to Send Liverpool Clear

Mohamed Salah (left) scored twice after missing a first-half penalty in Liverpool's 4-2 win over Newcastle. PETER POWELL / AFP
Mohamed Salah (left) scored twice after missing a first-half penalty in Liverpool's 4-2 win over Newcastle. PETER POWELL / AFP
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Salah Swaps Out Unlucky Boots to Send Liverpool Clear

Mohamed Salah (left) scored twice after missing a first-half penalty in Liverpool's 4-2 win over Newcastle. PETER POWELL / AFP
Mohamed Salah (left) scored twice after missing a first-half penalty in Liverpool's 4-2 win over Newcastle. PETER POWELL / AFP

Mohamed Salah credited a half-time change of boots after scoring twice to send Liverpool three points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 4-2 win over Newcastle.
The Egyptian, playing in his final game before heading off to represent his country at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), had seen a first-half penalty saved by Martin Dubravka.
All six goals at Anfield arrived in the second half as Salah opened the floodgates with a simple tap in for his 150th Premier League goal for the Reds.
He then played his part in teeing up goals for Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo as Jurgen Klopp's men cut loose.
And Salah took responsibility once more from the penalty spot to secure the points four minutes from time.
"The ones I missed the penalty with I just trained with yesterday. It's not superstition, because I play with many boots, but when I feel like it's going to be in my head, it's out, get new boots.
"I don't like to be going to the second half thinking 'I haven't scored in them'. Just change, make my mind calm and focus on my game."
Salah also said the thought of leaving for AFCON on the back of failing to score spurred him on in the second period.
Liverpool racked up a Premier League record of 7.53 expected goals, but Salah was not the only one guilty of being wasteful in front of goal as it took until late in the game to secure victory.
"The players spoke at half-time. We have to stay calm, play our football, we missed a lot of chances, I missed the penalty. I thought 'are you going to be leave for the national team with that performance?'" added Salah.
"I just had to really focus, step up and make the difference and managed to do so."
Salah could now miss Liverpool's next four Premier League games, including a crucial visit to Arsenal next month, depending on how far the Pharaohs progress in the Ivory Coast.
But he backed his understudies to keep Liverpool's title charge on course for his return.
"Without me I'm sure the players will manage to win the games. We have fantastic players, really good quality.
"Anyone can play my position, can do what I am doing. Everyone just needs to feel free of the pressure to express themselves."

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Sinner, Djokovic in Opposite Halves at Australian Open, Sabalenka vs Stephens in 1st Round

09 January 2025, Australia, Melbourne: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka (L) and Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner pose with Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup during the draw for the 2025 Australian Open tennis tournament, at Melbourne Park, Melbourne. Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP/dpa
09 January 2025, Australia, Melbourne: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka (L) and Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner pose with Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup during the draw for the 2025 Australian Open tennis tournament, at Melbourne Park, Melbourne. Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP/dpa
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Sinner, Djokovic in Opposite Halves at Australian Open, Sabalenka vs Stephens in 1st Round

09 January 2025, Australia, Melbourne: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka (L) and Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner pose with Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup during the draw for the 2025 Australian Open tennis tournament, at Melbourne Park, Melbourne. Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP/dpa
09 January 2025, Australia, Melbourne: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka (L) and Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner pose with Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup during the draw for the 2025 Australian Open tennis tournament, at Melbourne Park, Melbourne. Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP/dpa

Defending champion Jannik Sinner and 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic have landed in opposite sides of the draw for the season’s first major, ruling out a replay of last year’s semifinal match.
Sinner upset Djokovic in the semifinals at the Australian Open last year before coming back to beat Daniil Medvedev in the final 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 for his first Grand Slam singles title.
Top-ranked Sinner has a first-round match against Nicolas Jarry and also has Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Medvedev in his quarter of the draw. Fritz will open against fellow American Jenson Brooksby.
Djokovic and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz could meet in the quarterfinals, with a possible semifinal against No. 2 Alexander Zverev.
At the draw Thursday to set the brackets for the singles fields, defending champions Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka walked into the official ceremony holding thei trophies.
Sabalenka won her second consecutive title at Melbourne Park in 2024 by defeating Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2 in the final. Sabalenka will be attempting to win a third consecutive women’s singles title at Melbourne Park, something last accomplished by Martina Hingis from 1997 to 1999.
Sabalenka drew a tough opening match against 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens and has 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva and Zheng in her section.
“I have a lot of great memories and to be back here ... as a two-time Australian Open champion, it’s definitely something special,” Sabalenka, who won the Brisbane International title last week, said at the draw ceremony. “I hope that I can keep doing what I’m doing here in Australia.”
Third-seeded Coco Gauff is a potential semifinal rival for Sabalenka. Gauff has a challenging first-round match against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and is in the same section of the draw as seventh-seeded Jessica Pegula.
The Australian Open starts Sunday morning in Melbourne (Saturday night EST) and will run for 15 days.
Djokovic will be playing in his first event alongside new coach Andy Murray, his former on-court rival and a three-time major champion. Nobody has won the men's title at Melbourne Park more often than Djokovic, although he said he still feels trauma from the one year he wasn’t allowed to play.
Nick Kyrgios, the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up who withdrew from an exhibition against Djokovic this week because of an abdominal strain, will face Jacob Fearnley in the first round if the mercurial Australian is fit enough to contest his first major since the 2022 US Open. Kyrgios is in the same section as Zverev.