LIVERPOOL
ROY HODGSON has warned Mo Salah he will have to deal with great expectations this season.
But the former Liverpool boss, whose Crystal Palace side host Salah and Co in south London tomorrow night, reckons the Egyptian superstar has the ability to cope with all of them.
Hodgson said: “He’s one of those players who makes things go his way by his tenacity and work rate.”
Salah scored 46 goals last time out – 32 of them in the Premier League, including the late winner in a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park in March.
He opened his account this season in the Reds’ 4-0 romp over West Ham, and Liverpool fans are praying he can go close to matching last term’s goalscoring feats.
Hodgson (left) said: “Salah’s positional play is good, he’s a hard worker and he doesn’t get pinned down easily because he moves around the field and knows what he is doing and, of course, he has very good technical ability.
“Of course, for him and his club, people will keep cranking up expectations and that’s not a great thing to have to deal with for the player or the club.
“But I expect him to have another very, very good season because of his qualities and because he’s not the type of player who can be quite easily ushered out of the game when things aren’t going his way.
“So as far as we’re concerned we have to prepare for a game where the quality of the opposition is very, very good.
“And so too is the team cohesion, the physical capacity of the team. They have pace and strength and every year get that bit stronger.”