Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has been left fearing the worst surrounding Mohamed Salah’s injury situation when speaking about the Egyptian limping off against Crystal Palace.
Liverpool’s depth was tested long before kick-off against Crystal Palace, with a mounting injury crisis already casting a shadow over the squad. The Reds entered the clash nursing a long list of absentees, leaving the manager with limited options.
Indeed, up to nine players were in the Anfield treatment room for the visit of Oliver Glasner’s men to Anfield, which included Hugo Ekitike being out for the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon, alongside both Alisson Becker and Giorgi Mamardashvili being absent in goal.
Consequently, Arne Slot had to drastically reshuffle his starting XI.
Yet, a 3-1 win was still secured come the full-time whistle, with Freddie Woodman putting in an outstanding performance – on his first full Premier League debut for the Reds no less – when confidently denying the likes of Jean Philippe Mateta for the frustrated visitors.
Alongside Woodman stepping up, Alexander Isak also filled the void of no Ekitike being present by scoring Liverpool’s opener, when he cleverly slotted home on the 35th-minute mark to break the deadlock.
Unfortunately for the reigning Premier League champions, the disappointing news on the injury front isn’t stopping here, though, with a real worry now that Mohamed Salah might have played his final ever game for the Reds, when going down with a hamstring knock in the second half of the Palace victory.
Taking in a rapturous applause when gingerly coming off, Salah’s concerned, and visibly emotional expression said it all, with a race against time now for the soon-to-be free agent to be fit enough to feature in some capacity across the final four games of the Premier League.
Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk remains hopeful that Salah can pull off a superhuman recovery, praying his world-class teammate is fit enough to play a part in his final Anfield farewell against Brentford on Sunday, May 24, 2026.
On the latest episode of the Rest is Football podcast, Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer offered a far more somber outlook, expressing skepticism regarding the Egyptian’s chances of a quick return following the devastating injury blow.
Shearer’s take on Salah’s injury
Making over 400 appearances for the Magpies and scoring a sensational 206 goals, Shearer was very rarely injured when calling Tyneside home.
Salah isn’t one to usually be in the treatment room for extended periods of time, either, as another Premier League great, but the current situation playing out does feel bleak.
The Newcastle-born icon, when speaking on the Rest is Football podcast with Gary Lineker and Micah Richards, was very honest with his thoughts, with Shearer suspecting that this could well be his swansong match.
He said, rather bluntly: “You could tell with Mo’s reaction, couldn’t you?
“The way he sort of was applauding the crowd when he went off, you suspect, I hope not, but you suspect that could be his last game.
“It felt like his last game because you know what it’s like when he had a hammy injury.”
The applause he got at the final whistle did feel similar to the sort of reception you receive when making a farewell, with the sublime number 11’s Liverpool career, which has spanned 440 games, deserving of a more tied-together conclusion than a cruel hamstring injury.
Hopefully, Salah can battle against time to be back fit, with the 33-year-old winger actually coming back from a different knock this season, ahead of schedule.
Can Salah battle back to be fit?
It will take some doing, but the two-time Premier League winner will be desperate to feature again under Slot before the season is out.
Pulling up with an injury against Tottenham Hotspur in March, he would only be absent for the Brighton and Hove Albion loss before making a speedy return to action in April.
With Slot previously stating that Salah has “shown that he can be back earlier than some others”, the hope will be that he can knuckle down and recover, just in the nick of time, again.
With reports suggesting that he could well be out for four weeks, though, it really will be a touch-and-go as to whether he will line up for Liverpool one last time, or not.
Whatever does happen, he will surely be given a deafening reception when Brentford come to town at the end of next month, with one final goal against the Bees, where he could possibly come face-to-face with ex-Reds goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, the dream ending.
