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Mohamed Salah gives glimpse of past glories but questions over future remain

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Mohamed Salah patted the badge on his chest as the Kop chorused his song. It was a rare feat, even by his standards: just the third time in his Liverpool career he had scored, assisted and won a penalty in the same game.

As Salah was able to celebrate with his public again after scoring, his 252nd goal for Liverpool was only his second since his incendiary interview at Leeds. The process of reintegration began with a cameo against Brighton in December. It accelerated with a spot-kick against Albion in February.

He won it and scored it, tripped by Pascal Gross, rifling his shot into the roof of the net. He had only struck once in his previous 12 games for Liverpool, and that was against Qarabag. He had not found the net against a Premier League club since Aston Villa’s visit at the start of November. This meant a lot. “It was very big for the confidence,” said Salah. “It was very big, for sure.” It felt like another step in the healing process. “It is very nice to have him on the scoresheet again but what I like is that he is helping the team defensively,” said Arne Slot.

Whatever the summer holds for him, Liverpool could enjoy the sight of Salah looking irrepressible. Perhaps, too, they could be grateful that what looked a crisis was defused. That may reflect well on Slot and if the Dutchman has had too few games this season when every decision he has made has brought a rich reward, this victory came with sweet vindication.

As the Liverpool manager fielded his latest line-up without a specialist right-back, the assumption might have been that Dominik Szoboszlai was in the back four and Curtis Jones in midfield. Instead, it was the other way around.

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Each was on the scoresheet, and in a way that reflected the role Slot had given him. Jones scored for the first time since 2024 by materialising at the far post. Szoboszlai used his running power to burst through the inside-right channel and unleash his second unstoppable shot in as many weeks at Anfield.

Dominik Szoboszlai thundered home Liverpool’s second goal

Dominik Szoboszlai thundered home Liverpool’s second goal (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
Mohamed Salah’s penalty was his first goal against an English club since 1 Novemebr

Mohamed Salah’s penalty was his first goal against an English club since 1 Novemebr (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

In the process, Slot may have learned a lesson from a game when his choices backfired. At the corresponding stage of the FA Cup a year ago, he selected too much of a weakened side and suffered the embarrassment of defeat to Plymouth. Twelve months on, he started with nine of his strongest available 11 and, while Hugo Ekitike and Ryan Gravenberch began on the bench, the Dutchman’s rest permitted Jones’ return and allowed Szoboszlai to play in midfield.

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The context has changed from Slot’s first taste of the FA Cup, which ended so ignominiously in Devon. Now it is Liverpool’s most realistic chance of silverware this season, and they swept into the fifth round. Their league position remains unsatisfactory but they have only been beaten twice in 18 outings in all competitions and, after the frustration of last week’s loss to Manchester City, they have conjured a response by beating Sunderland and Brighton.

Their season has been a story of makeshift right-backs and, for all the issues injuries have posed, they have added some productivity. Szoboszlai has twin spectacular free kicks against Arsenal and City when deployed as a defender. Jones ended a lengthy drought when – in theory, anyway – stationed further from the Brighton goal. “There have been times I’ve scored more but not played as well as I am now,” he said after getting a first goal in 58 games.

The Liverpudlian had come agonisingly close with a left-footed shot from 20 yards. Then, meeting Milos Kerkez’s inviting cross on the half-volley, he crashed in a shot off the underside of the bar. “It was very pleasing the first goal was an assist from the left-back to the right-back,” Slot said.

Kerkez ended up being overshadowed – not least by his fellow Hungairan – but he was terrific. He married deft skill with dynamic runs. He had drawn a fine save from Jason Steele with a rising, rasping half-volley. Then came his assist.

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Curtis Jones produced a lovely finish for his first Liverpool goal in 57 games

Curtis Jones produced a lovely finish for his first Liverpool goal in 57 games (Getty Images)

“The second goal was even nicer than the first one,” Slot said. Salah cushioned a pass into the path of the surging Szoboszlai and, without breaking stride, he drove a shot past Steele.“He is one of the best players in the world right now,” said Salah. Szoboszlai earned a fourth assist for the Egyptian since his return from the African Cup of Nations.

When the 33-year-old then scored himself from the penalty spot, it was cue for Slot to substitute him, to a rousing ovation. His replacement Rio Ngumoha had a goal ruled out for offside; there was no VAR to prove he was onside. Meanwhile, Brighton objected to Salah’s spot kick. “Poor decision,” said Fabian Hurzeler. “Never a penalty.”

Salah received a standing ovation as he exited stage left

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Salah received a standing ovation as he exited stage left (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

He could also lament moments either side of the interval. “We had enough chances to score a goal,” added Hurzeler. But Alisson saved from Diego Gomez, coming to Jones’ rescue after he slipped. He clawed away Lewis Dunk’s header. After his error against City, it was a redemptive return to Anfield for Alisson, and justification for Slot in selecting him, rather than Giorgi Mamardashvili.

So there was no seismic double for Brighton, conquerors of Manchester United at Old Trafford in the third round, no cup run deflect from underachievement in the Premier League.

“We are not in a good moment,” Hurzeler said. But now Salah is.

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Beat the Streets rolls out to more UK locations

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By Kath Hudson    07 Mar 2026

Beat the Streets launches in five more locations this spring

Founded by Dr William Bird, it turns every journey into a game

Offering free participation, it has been proven to engage individuals from the most deprived communities

In 2025, social value was calculated at £321.80 per adult

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Beat the Streets has announced plans to launch in a number of new towns this spring.

Bloxwich launched in February and will be followed by Colchester on 11 March. Hendon and Grangetown; Penzance and St Austell will all launch later this month.  

Beat the Streets turns towns and cities into a giant game with friendly competition to see how far an individual or their team can walk, run or cycle around their community, turning every journey into a game.

First introduced near Reading in 2013, it has now reached two million adults and children in more than 200 places across the world. 

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It was the brainchild of Dr William Bird, who founded Intelligent Health in 2010 to create a world where every community is designed for health, and every individual has the agency and the environment to flourish. 

An analysis of nine programmes in 2024/25 showed that 40 per cent of registered participants came from the 20 per cent most deprived communities. Children from the most deprived areas (IMD 1–2), demonstrated a 7 per cent reduction in the proportion classified as less active and the rate of children achieving more than 60 minutes of daily activity increased by 8.4 percentage points. 

On average, programmes engage 12 per cent of the population and 68 per cent of adult players were women.

The social value was calculated at £321.80 per adult participant and extrapolated to 54,365 adult players this generated an estimated wellbeing value of around £17.5 million.

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The game is free for all players and for partners purchasing the programme for their area, the average cost to engage a participant was £12.73 in 2024/25.

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Free emblems, new cosmetics, and more

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Diablo 4 is collaborating with yet another major franchise in Season 12: Season of Slaughter. This time, the crossover is with Doom: The Dark Ages, bringing the Slayer’s aesthetic to Sanctuary through thematic rewards, premium cosmetics, and free emblems during a limited-time event.

This event will begin on March 11, 2026, at 10 am PT and is set to run until 10 am PT on March 18, 2026.


Everything we know about the Doom: The Dark Ages collaboration

Season 12 of Diablo 4 is also known as the Season of Slaughter (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)Season 12 of Diablo 4 is also known as the Season of Slaughter (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Season 12 of Diablo 4 is also known as the Season of Slaughter (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

This crossover introduces the “most expansive earnable Reliquary yet” to Diablo 4 Season 12. During its run, players can battle enemies to earn Dark Ages Currency, a new currency tied to the Doom: The Dark Ages event.

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To earn Dark Ages Currency, players must slay Elite and Champion enemies. The currency can then be spent on Doom: The Dark Ages-themed cosmetics from the event reliquary.

The reliquary contains 10 unique transmogs inspired by the Doom Slayer’s arsenal. Each cosmetic costs 100x Dark Ages Currency. Examples include:

  • Shield Saw cosmetic skin
  • Doom Slayer’s Flail weapon cosmetic

These items give your character a Doom-inspired makeover, perfect for facing Sanctuary’s demons.

Once you have acquired all the rewards, you will be able to claim the bonus Forsaken Gates Town Portal.

Players can get Doom: The Dark Ages-themed cosmetics from the reliquary (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)Players can get Doom: The Dark Ages-themed cosmetics from the reliquary (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Players can get Doom: The Dark Ages-themed cosmetics from the reliquary (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Doom Chests: Boss drops

In addition to the reliquary rewards, players can earn loot by engaging bosses. Lair Bosses in Season 12 have a chance of dropping Doom Chests, which contain Unique items with Doom Crucible-themed transmogs. This provides players with special cosmetic versions of gear and an incentive to challenge high-tier bosses in the Season of Slaughter.

Also read – Diablo 4 Season 12: The strongest builds, based on PTR meta

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Free Doom: The Dark Ages emblems in Diablo 4 Season 12

Players can fight Elite enemies, collect Dark Ages Currency, and purchase these cosmetics (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)Players can fight Elite enemies, collect Dark Ages Currency, and purchase these cosmetics (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Players can fight Elite enemies, collect Dark Ages Currency, and purchase these cosmetics (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Blizzard Entertainment is also giving away multiple free emblems during the event period via the in-game shop. You can claim them on the following dates and timings:

  • March 11, 12 pm PT – Dark Before the Dawn
  • March 13, 12 pm PT – Grandeur of the Gutted
  • March 15, 12 pm PT – Rip and Tear

These emblems are completely free; you only need to log in to the game in order to claim them.

Also read – Diablo 4 Season 12 PTR: Best builds for every class


Paid premium cosmetics

Alongside free rewards, you can also obtain optional paid cosmetics from the in-game shop starting from March 12, 2026, at 12 pm PT. The items include:

  • Doom Slayer Armor (cross-class armor set)
  • Mecha Dragon Serrat cat mount skin
  • Cacodemon pet

Blizzard has not yet confirmed the prices of these cosmetics. However, based on previous crossover cosmetics, they may range between $20 and $30 each.

Also read – D4 Lord of Hatred will bring back iconic crafting item from D2


The Doom: The Dark Ages collaboration will launch with Season 12: Season of Slaughter, which also introduces Bloodied Items, the Killstreak system, and the player ability to temporarily transform into The Butcher, complete with unique skills and gameplay mechanics.

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Players will also be able to check out the new Paladin Class (from the upcoming Lord of Hatred expansion) up to level 25. With free reliquary items, Doom cosmetics, and a Paladin class trial, Season 12 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting seasons yet in Diablo 4.

For more details on Diablo 4 Season 12, visit the game’s official website.

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