Liverpool’s new Premier League record goalscorer Mohamed Salah admits it is a landmark he has chased since he arrived at the club in 2017.

The Egypt international’s two goals in the 7-0 humiliation of arch-rivals Manchester United were his 128th and 129th in the top flight for the club and with his second – the sixth in the game – he surpassed Robbie Fowler’s Premier League tally.

“It’s very special, I can’t lie. This record was in my mind since I came here,” Salah, who earlier in the week became only the second Liverpool player after Ian Rush to score 20 goals for a sixth successive season, told Sky Sports.

“I think after my first season (when he won the Golden Boot with a remarkable 32 league goals) I was always chasing that record.

“To beat it today against United with that result is unbelievable.”

Manager Jurgen Klopp has long since stopped marvelling at Salah’s exploits on the pitch but even he had to single him out after this game.

“Mo Salah achieved tonight something really, really special – we should not forget that just because we are used to him scoring a lot of goals,” said the Reds boss.

“A very special, very special boy and he should be really proud of that.”

While Salah’s feat added to the long list of achievements he has racked up at the club, a fourth victory in five matches – and a fifth successive clean sheet – moved the team to within three points of fourth-placed Tottenham with a game in hand and Spurs still to come to Anfield.

That was more significant for Klopp, whose side are building momentum at a time when their rivals for a top-four spot are running into some inconsistent form, with this season’s new signings Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo both also scoring two with Roberto Firmino coming off the bench to score his first goal since November after injury.

“A freak result, a really top performance. The way we started the game was really special, the best for a long, long, long, long, long time. We were super-lively,” he added.

“In a way I think everybody saw how good the boys can be.

Liverpool v Manchester United – Premier League – Anfield
Jurgen Klopp enjoyed Liverpool’s performance in their 7-0 victory over Manchester United (Peter Byrne/PA)

“I loved the performance, I loved the three points and the result is good as well but I don’t carry that around.

“We saw what a positive result can do to the boys. We were 7-0 up, somebody played a ball to Luke Shaw, back pass, and we chased him with four players and then you think, ‘What are we doing here?’

“How much adrenaline it gives you and how much positivity it gives you.”