Liverpool ended the season with a 1-1 draw with Brentford at Anfield, with club legends Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah bidding farewell in their final appearances for the Reds.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah applauds fans during his last substitution at Anfield (Image: 2026 Gaspafotos/MB Media)
I’m sure there are some old-school die-hard soccer fans who aren’t too impressed with the honor guard.
Don’t worry about the honor guard that actually takes place during the game.
However, anyone who sees Mohamed Salah’s teammates forming a tunnel of gratitude and congratulations as he leaves the pitch for the last time as a Liverpool player would have to be a cold-hearted person to object. It was a touching and beautiful moment, followed by Salah tearing up as he kissed the Anfield lawn goodbye.
What followed was the most cursory handshake and token one-sided hug with Arne Slott, but that’s another story.
And then, after years of waiting for an honor guard to show up during a game, another guard comes right along. The second one is of course Andy Robertson’s. Those moments were just a precursor to the great sign-off that followed after the final whistle.
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read more: Andy Robertson writes emotional open letter to Liverpool fans ahead of final gameread more: Michael Owen warns Arne Slott and tells him what needs to happen at Liverpool
Salah would have liked to have finished with a goal, but he had to make do with an assist and a very good individual performance.
It’s perhaps a bit harsh to suggest that Salah was as motivated as we’ve seen him all season in his quest for a storied breakup. But that’s probably only.
There were definitely a lot of vintage salahs, that’s for sure. And amidst the emotion of the moment, it was clear that there was a serious problem for the world of football.
Salah will leave the club one year before his contract expires. And does Salah’s foot still have the effects of a year in the Premier League? That’s definitely true. And maybe then some.
Although he hasn’t been at his best or effective this season, he’s still an elite talent. Clubs other than Liverpool could benefit from his talent.
Mohamed Salah tearfully hugs team-mate Virgil van Dijk in his final appearance for Liverpool
Andy Robertson bids final farewell to Anfield
Milos Kerkes has been belatedly pining for the left-back job, and the same is almost certainly true of Robertson. There would be no problem if these two club stalwarts asked to leave. But their absence next season will be keenly felt by Liverpool.
Salah was a constant threat for a Brentford side who struggled to find their footing in the early stages of the game.
It was poor decision-making by Liverpool that allowed Keith Andrews’ side to last almost an hour without conceding a goal. But that’s about their season. However, this contest was a bit unusual in that the main theme quickly became the question of whether Salah could finish with something special.
And Salah duly fulfilled his obligation. He almost looked offside before giving Curtis Jones a great assist, but VAR made matters worse and the goal was disallowed.
This was Salah’s 120th assist in 442 games for Liverpool. It was Liverpool’s 93rd assist in the Premier League, moving them ahead of Steven Gerrard at the top of the chart.
Two men going their separate ways this summer (Image: ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/Shutterstock)
And that was actually what spurred Brentford into action. After all, they had something to play for and a win would have given them a spot in Europe.
But after Kevin Shade’s header equalized, neither team could find a winner and with Dango Outtara missing the stoppage-time goal, the stage was left for Robertson and Salah to get one last stadium cheer.
It’s no exaggeration to say they got the send-off they needed after a great Liverpool career.
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