New Year, New Jibe: Did Egypt's FA Just Rib Liverpool?
1 January 2026
New Year, New Jibe
Liverpool sit 12 points behind league leaders Arsenal after a goalless draw with Leeds United in the Premier League.
What Happened
The Egyptian Football Association's official page stirred controversy with a post after the Reds' 0-0 draw with Leeds, seeming to mock Liverpool.
The post showed a photo of Mohamed Salah laughing and carried the caption: "Starting the new year with a smile." The message was read by many as a dig at Liverpool.
Context and Next Steps
Salah's public clash with Liverpool's management and Dutch manager Arne Slot had been noted after their 3-3 draw with Leeds on December 6, with Salah complaining about his role in recent games.
He is currently preparing with Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 round of 16 against Benin in Morocco.
Standings and Next Moves
Liverpool remain on 33 points, fourth in the table, while Leeds sit on 21 points in 16th place.
Punchlines: If memes counted as goals, Liverpool would be champions of the internet. If smiles were points, Salah would already have a hat-trick—and Klopp would need a bigger board to hold all the joy.
