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Mohamed Salah holds the Premier League record for most opening‑day goals for Liverpool.
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Yet when the Reds begin the 2026-27 season under Andoni Iraola at Newcastle on Sunday (16:30 BST), Salah will be 2,100 miles away, playing for Trabzonspor against Istanbul Basaksehir in the Turkish Super Lig.
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It will be Liverpool’s first season opener since 2015 without any of Salah, Sadio Mane or Roberto Firmino in the squad.
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From 2015 to 2026, that trio combined for 488 goals for Liverpool (Salah 257, Mane 120, Firmino 111), with 10 of Salah’s coming on opening day—a Premier League best.
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Without him, Cody Gakpo is the leading scorer in the current group with 50 Liverpool goals.
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Last summer’s £320m investment in Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike was made with the future in mind.
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No single player can replace Salah; his goals and creativity will need to be shared.
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Ekitike, 24, started strongly before an Achilles rupture in April; the hope is he returns for the second half of the campaign.
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Isak, 26, and Wirtz, 23, are expected to spearhead this new Liverpool era after underwhelming debut seasons.
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Although Salah’s summer exit was confirmed in March and another marquee signing was widely anticipated, none has arrived as the season kicks off.
- Captain Virgil van Dijk said the team needs enough depth to compete on all four fronts and that they’ll see what the final weeks of the transfer window bring before fully attacking the season.
August24August 24, 2026