LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Mohamed Salah continued his rehabilitation at Liverpool by scoring for the team for the first time since the start of November in a 6-0 thrashing of Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The Egypt winger curled home a shot at a free kick in the 50th minute to put Liverpool 3-0 up at Anfield, helping the English club finish in third place in the 36-team standings and qualifying directly to the round of 16.
Salah’s future at Liverpool, where he has starred since 2017, was plunged into doubt when he said in early December that he’d been “thrown under the bus” after being dropped for the third game in succession by manager Arne Slot.
He went to the Africa Cup of Nations with uncertainty surrounding his position at Liverpool but has started three straight games since his return from the tournament in Morocco, and now has a first goal since scoring against Aston Villa on Nov. 1.
The victory ensured Liverpool avoided needing to go through the playoffs — just like last season when Arne Slot’s team did even better, finishing top of the standings, only to get drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16. Liverpool lost in a penalty shootout and PSG went on to win the title for the first time.
“It’s great to be in the top eight again,” said Alexis Mac Allister, who scored twice for Liverpool against Qarabag, “but then I think back to last season when we finished top and then got Paris in the next round.
“It’s going to be very difficult, but we’ve done well to get there and it was a good night for us.”
Liverpool will play one of Club Brugge, Galatasaray, Juventus or Atletico Madrid in the last 16.
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