Mohamed Salah And Andy Robertson Bid Farewell As Liverpool Secures Champions League Spot

Mohamed Salah said Liverpool had been restored "back where it belongs" after the forward and Andy Robertson played their last match for the club, a 1-1 draw with Brentford that sealed fifth place in the Premier League and confirmed Champions League football for the 2026-27 season.

The pair received emotional farewells from the Anfield crowd after full-time, with Salah describing how much the stadium and city meant, and also confirming that there would be no playing return, even though Salah hoped Liverpool would keep challenging for every major trophy.

Against Brentford, Salah set up Curtis Jones for the opener and reached 93 Premier League assists for Liverpool, moving past Steven Gerrard’s 92 to become the club’s outright leading creator in the competition, while already standing clear as Liverpool’s top Premier League goalscorer on 191.

That double status makes Salah the 10th player to be both all-time leading scorer and leading assister for a single Premier League club, with Robbie Fowler second on Liverpool’s league goals list on 128, leaving a sizeable gap to Salah’s total from nine seasons.

Salah’s appearance numbers underline that influence, with 315 Premier League games for Liverpool, the fifth-highest figure in club history, behind Jamie Carragher on 508, Gerrard on 504, Jordan Henderson on 360 and Sami Hyypia on 318, while Pepe Reina has 285 and Robertson’s tally stands at 275.

Salah joined from Roma for 43m and Robertson arrived from Hull City for 10m in 2017, at a time when regular Champions League qualification was far from guaranteed, as Liverpool had reached that competition only twice in the previous eight seasons and had exited at the group stage both times.

With Salah and Robertson in the side, Liverpool reached the 2017-18 Champions League final and lost to Real Madrid, then returned in 2018-19 and defeated Tottenham to lift the trophy, also capturing two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two EFL Cups during their shared spell.

Mohamed Salah Liverpool farewell with Andy Robertson

The 1-1 draw with Brentford ensured Liverpool will play in UEFA’s main club competition for the 2026-27 campaign, which will be the ninth season in 10 that the club appears in the Champions League, contrasting sharply with the period before 2017-18 when qualification was rare and progress limited.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Salah said: "It's very tough to leave a place like this... in the media, you always see me as tough and aggressive, but inside, I'm like a baby! We lived our youth here, sharing everything from the beginning until the end. We didn't even dream of what we had, but we did it. We put this club back where it belongs. The club is fighting for everything, and the fans will not accept less than that. They don't care much about the result, as long as you give your sweat and blood here, they will love you forever. It's tricky to leave Liverpool, but you have to move on. It's life. Would I want more than I achieved? Not really. Collectively and individually, we won it all. When we're leaving, to be received like this today, the fans appreciate what you have done for the club, that's the most important thing."

Asked if there could be a playing return to Anfield, Salah replied: "No, I'm not coming back. I'll be too emotional! I would love to come back, but I hope the team stay in the position they are, fighting for everything. I love this place."

Salah also highlighted Robertson’s role during their years together, saying: "I'm honoured to share the dressing room with him. He's a fantastic guy, a fantastic player. He was always there for me when I needed him, and he was there for the team."

Both players leave with Liverpool again established as regular Champions League participants, supported by a fan base Salah described as demanding effort above results, and their combined impact is reflected in trophies, personal records and the team’s status among Europe’s leading clubs.