LONDON, April 15, 2018 (News agencies) - Following his goal in Liverpool's victory over Bournemouth, Egyptian Mohamed Salah has joined the 30-goal club, thus surpassing Ivorian legend Didier Drogba as the highest goalscoring African in an English Premier League season. Drogba achieved the record by scoring 29 goals in the 2009-10 season to help Chelsea to a treble, and it was equalled a fortnight ago after Salah got the winner against Crystal Palace. The summer signing missed out on the chance to surpass the feat in a Merseyside derby last week with injury ruling him out of last week's goalless stalemate against Everton. However, he returned to the starting lineup after midweek's assault on Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League. Salah got onto the end of a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross to double his side's lead in the 69th minute, following Sadio Mane's opener, to become the highest scoring African in a single English top-flight season. Roberto Firmino's last-gasp effort secured a 3-0 victory for Jurgen Klopp's side. The goal also saw the Egypt international reach the 40-goal mark across all competitions; a feat that he achieved in just 45 games. Salah beats Messi Salah is showing no signs of slowing down, beating Lionel Messi to the 30-goal mark in 2017-18 and breaking a Cristiano Ronaldo record in the process. The Liverpool winger was at it again Saturday against Bournemouth, as he found the back of the net as the Reds defeated Bournemouth 3-0 at Anfield. The finish was exquisite, as Salah took an excellent Trent Alexander-Arnold cross and headed over the outstretched hand of Asmir Begovic to make it 2-0 to Liverpool. Scores from Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were the other tallies in the victory.It was Salah's 30th goal of the Premier League season, as he extended his lead on Harry Kane in the Premier League Golden Boot race to five goals. The Egypt international also became the first player in the five major European leagues to score 30 goals in the league this season. Lionel Messi, who sits on 29 goals, missed his opportunity to do so earlier in Barcelona's 2-1 victory over Valencia. The 30-goal mark is also historic, as Salah became the first African player to reach that number in the Premier League. Former Chelsea star Didier Drogba had recorded the previous high with 29 efforts. Salah now sits just one back of a trifecta of players who jointly share the Premier League 38-game season record at 31 goals. Cristiano Ronaldo, Alan Shearer and former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez all sit on that mark. He has also now taken the record for most Premier League games with a goal in a single season with 22, a record he had shared with Ronaldo and Robin van Persie. In all competitions, Salah is up to 40 goals. That makes him only the third Liverpool player to accomplish the feat, after Ian Rush, who did it twice, and Roger Hunt. Salah's assault on Rush's all-time Liverpool single-season record continues as well. He is now seven behind Rush's 47 scored in the 1983-84 season. Salah has at least six games remaining, with four Premier League contests and the two-legged Champions League semi-final, to match or surpass Rush's total. And should Liverpool manage to get by Salah's former club Roma in the semi-final, Salah would also get the Champions League final in Kiev to continue his assault on the Liverpool record books. Klopp lauds Salah The Reds manager has hailed the Egypt international, who has now broken the 40-goal mark for the season. Jurgen Klopp heaped praise on record-breaking star Salah after the Liverpool forward celebrated his 40th goal of the season against Bournemouth. Salah was on target in Liverpool's 3-0 win over the Cherries in the Premier League on Saturday as he became the first Reds player since Ian Rush in 1986-87 to break the 40-goal mark in a season. It has been a remarkable debut campaign for Salah following his off-season arrival from Serie A side Roma, who Liverpool will face in the Champions League semi-finals – the Egypt international leading the Golden Boot race with 30 Premier League goals ahead of Harry Kane. The Reds manager has hailed the Egypt international, who has now broken the 40-goal mark for the season Jurgen Klopp heaped praise on record-breaking star Mohamed Salah after the Liverpool forward celebrated his 40th goal of the season against Bournemouth. Salah was on target in Liverpool's 3-0 win over the Cherries in the Premier League on Saturday as he became the first Reds player since Ian Rush in 1986-87 to break the 40-goal mark in a season. It has been a remarkable debut campaign for Salah following his off-season arrival from Serie A side Roma, who Liverpool will face in the Champions League semi-finals – the Egypt international leading the Golden Boot race with 30 Premier League goals ahead of Harry Kane. "He didn't look today like he doesn't want to score in the next few games. "He isn't distracted by this Golden Boot, he wants to have it but he wants us to be successful that's how it is and if he does get the Golden Boot, it's likely we are successful, so no problem with that. "As a striker, you have to make decisions, if you score, everybody loves you, if you don't score then, hmm... then people start discussing, so it's all fine." Liverpool trio as good as Messi & Ronaldo The Liverpool trio Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane are all as good as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, according to Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk. The trio all found the net as the Reds thrashed Bournemouth 3-0 on Saturday to consolidate third place in the Premier League. Salah's goal marked his 40th of the season in all competitions, while Firmino now has 24 and Mane 17. Van Dijk is in awe of the trio, and believes that they are equal to the Real Madrid and Barcelona icons. "It's good stuff playing against them in training, it makes you better," Van Dijk said, per the Daily Mirror . "I am training and playing against the best three forwards in Europe at the moment, together with a couple of other guys in Spain! "They are just making you better and you learn a lot." Salah's 40-goal haul in all competitions is better than Messi's 39, though it is one less than Ronaldo's 41. The Egypt international's haul has also helped Liverpool to the semi-finals of the Champions League, where they will face his former club AS Roma as they bid to reach a final clash with either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
