THE PHARAOH OF ANFIELD

Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah remains critically under-rated

Photos: BackpagePix | Reuters | EPA By: ESHLIN VEDAN

EVEN die-hard fans of Manchester United have to admit that Mohamed Salah is a class act and certainly on his way to securing all-time legendary status at Liverpool and in the English Premier League.

Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer are the names that often roll off the lips when the greatest goal-poachers to grace the Premier League are discussed, but the Egyptian king is rarely part of the conversation.

Salah and Bobby Firminho celebrate a Liverpool goal.

After scoring against Crystal Palace last month, Salah became the 30th member of “The 100-Club” ‒ the elite group who have netted 100 goals in the Premiership. Salah was the fifth quickest to achieve the feat, requiring 162 appearances.

Salah is a hero back home in Egypt.

Following his latest majestic effort against Watford, Salah joined Chelsea legend Drogba as the highest-scoring African player in Premier League history.

What is particularly astounding is the fact that the Ivory Coast hero played 70 games more than Salah to achieve the 104-goal landmark.

Since arriving at Anfield in 2017 from AS Roma, Salah has been an important component of Jurgen Klopp’s rebuilding of the Merseyside club. He made an immediate impact in his first season at Liverpool, scoring 32 league goals, which still stands as the all-time individual record.

Salah acknowledges the applause of the Anfield faithful.

Salah also boasts the record for the most games (24) scored in a Premier League season and Player of the Month awards (3) won in a season.

Furthermore, he has scored more than 20 goals in each of his last four seasons with Liverpool ‒ a feat that was last achieved by Kop legend Ian Rush more than 20 years ago.

Mohamed Salah finishes off his wonderful solo goal against Manchester City at Anfield in October.

“Mo is a goal machine. His professionalism is absolutely second to none. He does everything to always be fit and stay on track. First in, last out, all these kinds of things – that’s Mo. On top of that, apart from his technical skill set, he is desperate to score goals and that is helpful as well,” Klopp said.

“Whatever you do on a pitch, whatever you create, you need somebody who brings the ball over the line and in the back of the net. Mo is absolutely there with the best I ever saw. He knows that. The numbers he has are insane.”

At 29, Salah is at the peak of his career. He still has two years left of his Liverpool contract, worth £200 000 per week, but his agent Ramy Abbas Issa is currently in England to negotiate a £500 000 per week deal that could place him above even Manchester City duo Kevin de Bruyne (£380 000) and Jack Grealish (£300 000).

Nobody deserves this recognition and reward more than Salah.

“Mo is absolutely there with the best I ever saw,” says Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.