Mohamed Salah found the net twice as Liverpool quite literally knocked Leeds for six at Elland Road on Monday to claim a long overdue victory, their first in five Premier League games since beating Manchester United 7-0 in early March.
What had been the Reds' joint-longest winless streak under Jurgen Klopp came to a triumphant end as his side won 6-1, scoring six goals in a single league game for the third time this season -- as many half-dozens this term as the rest of the teams in the top flight combined.
Salah's brace took him beyond the 25-goal mark in all competitions for the third consecutive campaign, with Liverpool's top goal scorer in 2022-23 taking his total to 26 and counting. The Egypt international also overtook a fellow Anfield great to become the Premier League's most prolific southpaw by leapfrogging Robbie Fowler to the top of the list of players with the most left-footed goals scored in the competition.
Fowler scored 163 Premier League goals in 379 games for Liverpool, Manchester City and Leeds between 1993 and 2007, 105 of which were converted with his left foot. Having started the game level with Fowler's record of 105, Salah tucked away both of his goals against Leeds with his left peg to take his Premier League tally to 107. The 30-year-old has now notched 135 Premier League goals in 223 games overall, with the other 28 goals consisting of 21 right-footed finishes and seven headers.
The rest of the top 10 contains a sprinkling of slightly unexpected names, although Salah is certainly keeping good company when it comes to the Premier League's most productive left-footed marksmen.
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10. Louis Saha (46 left-footed goals in 289 games)
French striker Saha scored a total of 85 Premier League goals in a career that took in various stints at Newcastle United, Fulham, Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland. Just over half of his haul came via his left foot.
9. Daniel Sturridge (47 in 218)
Having represented Manchester City, Chelsea, Bolton Wanderers, Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion, Sturridge has scored 76 Premier League goals in total including 47 left-footed strikes, 14 right-footers, 14 headers and one goal officially labelled as "other" -- steered home via his shoulder in a 3-1 victory for Liverpool over Sunderland in September 2013.
8. David Silva (49 in 309)
The diminutive magician scored 60 league goals in 309 outings for Manchester City, the majority of which were steered home using his wand of a left foot. Despite his 5-foot-7 stature, Silva did also score one headed goal during his time at City.
7. Olivier Giroud (50 in 255)
Olivier Giroud with a sublime, stinging scorpion kick 🔴🦂⚪#GoalOfTheDay // @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/ndPdHZuD3J
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 1, 2022
The breakdown of Giroud's 90 Premier League goals sheds light on his aerial prowess. The France international's top-flight record includes 50 goals netted with his left foot, eight with his right and a whopping 32 with his head. The best part about his inclusion on this list? We also have the perfect excuse to watch that Puskas Award-winning scorpion-kick volley against Crystal Palace again.
6. Romelu Lukaku (60 in 278)
Lukaku scored 121 Premier League goals for West Brom, Everton, Manchester United and in two stints at Chelsea, and almost exactly half came via the Belgium striker's left foot. He also scored 34 goals with his right foot and 25 headers.
5. Riyad Mahrez (65 in 276)
A creative attacking midfielder by trade, Mahrez has also pitched in with his fair share of league goals (82 in total) for both Leicester City and Manchester City, 65 of which have hit back of the net via his deft left foot.
4. Ryan Giggs (83 in 632)
Vintage Giggs 🙌
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 5, 2016
(With a cheeky nutmeg thrown in for good measure!) #GoalOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/MgFUG9nrud
The Premier League's second-highest appearance-maker, Giggs holds the record for having scored in more individual seasons (21) than any other player having netted at least once in every campaign from 1992-93 to 2012-13. The Manchester United winger scored 109 goals in total and 83 were converted with his favoured left foot.
3. Robin van Persie (94 in 280)
One of the most naturally gifted forwards to grace the Premier League, Van Persie scored 144 goals in the competition during successful stints with Arsenal and Manchester United, almost 100 of which were thumped home with that cultured left boot.
2. Robbie Fowler (105 in 379)
"There's only one word: God."
— LFCTV (@LFCTV) April 5, 2017
Don't miss Premier League Heroes: Robbie Fowler today at 18.30 BST on LFCTV.
📺 https://t.co/wipIVzFxaT pic.twitter.com/c7e0KT187u
One of the first members of the exclusive Premier League 100 Goal Club, Fowler is one of only two players to reach three figures in their total of left-footed strikes. He also reigned as Liverpool's highest goal scorer in the Premier League, with 128 goals overall, for many years until he was finally overtaken in March 2023 by a certain Egyptian hotshot.
1. Mohamed Salah (107 in 223)
With 135 goals and counting, Salah is now comfortably leading the way as Liverpool's highest Premier League goal scorer. What's more, he now also inherits Fowler's record for the most left-footed goals scored in the competition.