MILNER: NO MORE MO SOLO

HE’S back with a bang and looks like he’s never been away – but Liverpool cannot expect Mohamed Salah to keep scoring so many goals.

That’s the view of Kop star James Milner after Salah took just a minute to mark his introduction to pre-season, scoring in the 2-1 friendly win over Manchester City in New Jersey.

The Egyptian bagged 44 goals last season and so nearly carried Liverpool to Champions League glory, but Milner thinks it will be tough for him to repeat his phenomenal first campaign.

Former City star Milner, embarking on his 17th Premier League season, says the other Anfield players must help Salah by taking some of the goalscoing burden from his shoulders.

He claims they must improve as a team to weigh in with their fair share of goals and assists.

“Obviously there is pressure when you’ve had one good year to deliver again,” said the former England midfielder.

“He’s a top player, he’s shown that, and he’s going to keep improving. We need to keep improving as a side with him as well and make sure that all the pressure is not on his shoulders to deliver goals and get us out of tough situations.

“It’s down to all of us to help him be the best player he can be and do that as part of a team.”

Milner is confident Salah, who hauled Liverpool level (right) within a minute of coming on for the Champions Cup clash, can repeat his goalscoring feats from last season and prove he is world-class.

“The best players in the world aren’t known as the best because they did it in just one season, they do it over and over again,” he said. “He’s more than capable of doing that. There is pressure when you have had one good year to deliver again but he is a top player. He’s going to keep on improving.”

Milner ignored the inevitable transfer speculation that surrounded Salah last season as he blazed a goal trail through the Premier League and Europe.

Liverpool snuffed it out earlier this summer when they announced Salah had agreed a new five-year deal, with no escape clause.

Milner was always relaxed about Salah’s future and sees no reason why he would want to leave Liverpool. “Yeah, it was good for the club but I was never worried,” he said. “There’s always going to be stories when players do well. You saw how well he played last season, but he seems happy so I don’t see any reason he’d want to go.”

Milner (top left) sees the positive side of the speculation linking Salah with a big move.

“That’s what happens when you have good players,” he said. “When there’s speculation about your players, it means they are playing well and performing.

“You’ve seen what he and Sadio Mane brought when they came on against City. They made a big contribution.”