Mo turns into El of a beast

MOHAMED SALAH is a training ground pussycat who transforms into a raging tiger on the pitch.

Egypt team-mate Ahmed Elmohamady says the laid-back Liverpool star becomes a different beast when he steps out to play.

Elmohamady sees the 43-goal marvel and Ballon d’Or contender while on international duty together and hopes Salah will have a Champions League winners’ medal by the time the two meet up for the World Cup.

“In training, I don’t worry about him but in a game he turns into a different player,” said the Aston Villa winger.

“You can see him now – he’s one of the best players in the world.

“Mo-Mo is a great lad. He has been excellent this season. Hopefully he can continue in the same form and help us in the World Cup.

“We need him. He is going to play a big part in the team.

“He took the chance to leave Chelsea and go away from the Premier League to prove everyone wrong. And he did it at Fiorentina and Roma, then came back to the Premier League and you see what he can do now.”

If Salah stars in Russia this summer he will be in with a big shout of being named the world’s best player.

He is 6/4 second favourite ahead of Lionel Messi but is behind Cristiano Ronaldo.

Elmohamady added: “He still has a long way to go.

“It’s only one season. For the level of Ronaldo and Messi, he has to do it for seven or eight years.”