58SALAH Daily Express DAYS
Liverpool have ace card in Mo and must hold on to him
They can’t afford to let contract talks drag on
Sunday’s thrilling draw confirmed the belief of many pundits that this could turn out to be one of the great Premier League title races. Liverpool and Manchester City will clearly be in the mix at the end while Chelsea are tops right now. Manchester United, Everton and Brighton are just two points behind the Blues, so just who will be lifting the trophy come May 22?
AS JURGEN KLOPP said on Sunday night, when Anfield has been touched by greatness, it never forgets.
Mo Salah’s display against Manchester City was one of those moments. It was an individual display which will be spoken of in “56 years’ time”, as Klopp said in reference to the late Roger Hunt’s FA Cup final winner in 1965.
The stardust he scattered around the famous old stadium not only announced him as a true Liverpool great, but elevated him to dizzy levels within the firmament of world-class talent.
Right here, right now, Salah is the best in the world. No doubt. His numbers are off the charts. He has scored in every game he’s played this season bar one (and even then had a goal ruled out).
Since the start of this season he’s scored more goals than Lionel Messi, and produced more goal involvements than Cristiano Ronaldo. His shot conversion rate is better than both, and in every other metric to denote a truly great striker he matches them.
In short, he is positioning himself to assume the crown of the king of goalscorers.
“His record from the start of the season has been outstanding, and I don’t think you can ever question him for what he has done
Liverpool,” said player-turnedpundit Jamie Carragher.
“I honestly don’t think there’s anyone playing better in the world at the moment. Right now he’s probably as sharp and as good as I’ve ever seen him.”
Carragher says he has now not only entered world-class territory, but the ranks of the all-time greats. Which is good news for Liverpool but a mixed blessing. When you’re that good, when you can win or save games with a couple of moments of genius, as Messi does, as Ronaldo does, and as Salah now does, the richest clubs in the world begin to circle. And with Messi and Ronaldo reaching the end of their reign, the search is on for their successor. Salah looks the definitive article.
That Liverpool have him is huge for Klopp’s team, but the fact that he will have just 18 months left on his contract at Christmas also spells danger. “He is world class – he is one of the greatest to play for Liverpool, one of the greatest goalscorers we’ve seen, and he goes into a Liverpool greatest XI,” added Carragher.
“In terms of the very best, Roger Hunt, Ian Rush, you think of the greatest Liverpool have had, he goes on the right side, no doubt.
“But that means Liverpool can’t afford to let that contract situation drag on, because there is a real threat they could lose him in the next two years.”
Salah is contracted for another 20 months, when he will be 31. The Reds don’t want to risk giving huge money – and we’re talking £300,000-a-week plus – to someone entering the ‘veteran’ stage. But he is so dedicated and professional he can go on for many years yet.
That is Liverpool’s dilemma, and they need to sort out a new contract by the New Year when it will be open season.