Salah Treating this Season as His Last at Liverpool and Says No Approach Yet About a New Contract

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Manchester, England. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Manchester, England. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
TT

Salah Treating this Season as His Last at Liverpool and Says No Approach Yet About a New Contract

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Manchester, England. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Manchester, England. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Mohamed Salah said Sunday he has yet to be approached by Liverpool over a new contract and is treating this season as his final one at Anfield.
The Egypt forward, who is into the last year of his contract, scored one goal and set up two more in Liverpool's 3-0 win over Manchester United in the Premier League — and then was in bullish mood in an interview with British broadcaster Sky Sports.
“I had a good summer, I had a long time to stay with myself and try to think positive,” Salah said of his start to the season, which has seen him score in each of his first three games in the league. "But as you know, it's my last year in the club.
“I just want to enjoy it. I don't want to think about it. I feel like I am here to play football and we'll see what's going to happen.”
Salah spoke about his future unprompted and might have used the interview as an opportunity to put pressure on the Liverpool hierarchy, The Associated Press said.
“When I was coming to the game, I said, ‘Look it could be the last time (at Old Trafford with Liverpool) — nobody at the club (has) talked to me yet about contracts so I was like, ’Play my last season and then just see,'” Salah said.
When it was suggested he will play at Old Trafford again, Salah replied: “I don’t know with which club but so far, my last game here with Liverpool. It’s not up to me, but nobody talked to me from the club. We will see.”
Salah joined Liverpool from Roma in 2017 and has established himself as a club great, scoring 214 goals in 352 games.



Mbappe Ends Scoring Drought in Spanish League and Scores 2 in Real Madrid’s Win Over Betis 

Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Real Betis - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - September 1, 2024 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring their first goal. (Reuters)
Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Real Betis - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - September 1, 2024 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring their first goal. (Reuters)
TT

Mbappe Ends Scoring Drought in Spanish League and Scores 2 in Real Madrid’s Win Over Betis 

Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Real Betis - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - September 1, 2024 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring their first goal. (Reuters)
Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Real Betis - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - September 1, 2024 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring their first goal. (Reuters)

With two goals in less than 10 minutes, Kylian Mbappe ended his scoring drought in the Spanish league, leading Real Madrid to a 2-0 win over Real Betis on Sunday.

Madrid's biggest signing in years, Mbappe had scored once in the team's win over Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup final last month, but he had yet to find the net in his previous three Spanish league matches.

“I was looking forward to scoring in this legendary stadium, the best in the world,” Mbappe said. “But the most important thing was the victory.”

He opened the scoring at the Santiago Bernabeu with a low left-footed shot from inside the area after a neat backheel pass by Federico Valverde in the 67th minute. Mbappe then added to the lead by converting a 75th-minute penalty kick after a foul on Vinicius Junior.

Madrid had drawn two of its first three games, with its lone victory coming against Valladolid two rounds ago, also at the Bernabeu. This win moved the defending champion four points behind leader Barcelona, the only team to win all four matches to start the season.

“After the game against Las Palmas we knew that we had to win and we did it,” Mbappe said. “It was a tough match, but we are Real Madrid and in the end we won it.”

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said there was never any pressure on Mbappe to end his drought in the league.

“For him it was important to score, but we evaluate the work of the team as a whole, which was better than in the previous match. It was a step forward.”

The result kept Betis winless after three matches. Manuel Pellegrini's team had drawn its first two games.

Vitor Roque, a young Brazilian forward, was a second-half substitute for the Seville club where he is playing on loan from Madrid rival Barcelona.

Madrid has not conceded in its last five league games at Bernabeu, going back to last season, a first for the club in the competition since 1996.

Madrid is unbeaten in 26 home games in the league, with 22 wins and four draws, the best run under Ancelotti.

The five points from three matches until now had meant Madrid's worst start in the league since 2019-20, when it won the competition.

Elsewhere, Sevilla lost 2-0 at home to Girona to remain winless after four matches.

Ivan Martin and Abel Ruiz scored a goal in each half for Girona, which has now won two in a row. It will play the Catalan derby against Barcelona in the next round.

Sevilla had drawn two of its first three matches, both on the road, with a loss to Villarreal at home.

Getafe, another team without a victory, drew 0-0 with Real Sociedad at home, while Las Palmas — also winless — lost 2-0 at Alaves. Osasuna won 3-2 against Celta Vigo, which had opened with two straight wins but now has lost two in a row.