Daily Record

BLUES REJECT IS ROARING AT REDS

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make for truly remarkable figures. For the sake of context, Salah’s stats for the season read one goal more than Messi from three fewer matches.

But on closer scrutiny it’s the style, spread and sophistica­tion of Salah’s finishing which bears such a striking resemblanc­e to the sublimely skilled Argentine.

In other words he’s not just scoring goals more prolifical­ly than Messi, he’s matching him for artistic impression at the same time.

Of course if Salah is ever to be considered as a genuine match for Messi or for Ronaldo for that matter, then he will need to sustain this form over a great deal more than just nine months of one season.

But already he has elevated himself into the category of the next best thing, which had been previously reserved for only a handful of contenders such as Neymar, Gareth Bale and another former Liverpool phenomenon Luis Suarez.

Put it this way, given they did this deal at the same time PSG were forking out £200m to break up Neymar from Messi and Suarez, Roma must be wondering what on earth compelled them to let Salah go for a comparativ­e pittance.

Aged 25, Salah is a latecomer to this rarified atmosphere at football’s summit. It’s the long, twisting journey he took to get here, coupled with his anticlimac­tic detour to Stamford Bridge,

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 ??  ?? STRIKING SIMILARITY Salah so like Messi, below
STRIKING SIMILARITY Salah so like Messi, below

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