Mohamed Salah hat-trick spearheads Trabzonspor demolition of Galatasaray

Mohamed Salah was the mastermind as Trabzonspor routed previously unbeaten Galatasaray 4-0, as the former Liverpool hero scored a hat-trick and grabbed an assist against the Turkish Super Lig leaders.

Just hours after Newcastle United’s victory over Hull City pushed The Reds closer to the bottom half of the Premier League table, Salah showed Andoni Iraola and his former teammates what they were missing with a vintage performance for Trabzonspor, putting his side within three points of the summit.

Against a Galatasaray team featuring Rafael Leao, Leroy Sane and Davinson Sanchez, Salah gave his side the lead with a breakaway goal from an 80-metre run after just four minutes.

Salah latched onto a long ball forward, closed in on Ugurcan Cakir, then fired under the goalkeeper to give his side the lead, and he played a big part in their two other first-half goals.

Sane and Salah rekindled their old Manchester City-Liverpool rivalry by trading first-half chances before the Egyptian teed up Noah Saviolo with a pinpoint pass across the penalty area and the winger swept back across goal, finishing a beautiful team move.

Salah put Trabzonspor into cruise control just before the break with his sixth league goal of the season, profiting from intense pressing by striker Franculino Dju.

The 22-year-old showed why he was on Premier League wish lists in the summer before his move to Turkey, pouncing as Sanchez pondered on the ball, then smartly squared the ball to Salah after Cakir was committed.

Smart work between the sticks by another of Salah’s former rivals, Andre Onana, kept the Trabzonspor lead intact while Saviolo went close with a deflected effort before Salah put the result beyond all doubt with 10 minutes to go.

In almost a carbon copy of the opening goal, a Galatasaray attack broke down, and Salah immediately set off sprinting up the pitch, leaving the defence trailing in his wake before beating Cakir one-on-one to complete the rout.

There was excitement off the pitch, as Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk was sent off for his reaction to a retaliatory tackle on Sane, moments after one of Salah’s teammates was crunched.

Salah will hope to help The Pharaohs over the international break as they begin their qualifying campaign for the Africa Cup of Nations, and he will also be preparing to get Trabzonspor off to a flying start in the UEFA Conference League.