Liverpool legend Ian Rush believes that Reds attacker Mohamed Salah is a ‘better player’ than last season, despite teams ‘sussing him out’.
The Egyptian got off to a slow start this season, by his high standards, but has since returned to top form and become the Premier League’s current top goalscorer.
Rush has been impressed: “Last season, for me, he was the best player in the world – and that’s a big statement,” he told Sky Sports. “It was just unfortunate we didn’t win a trophy. If we had won a trophy I think he would have been player of the year worldwide.
“This year has been a bit different because teams are sussing him out and putting two players on him but I think he has overcome that now. He may not score as many goals – it was always going to be more difficult this year – but seems to be a better player and that is why he is the league’s top scorer.”
OPINION
This makes sense from Rush. Earlier in the season it was clear that teams were making life harder for Salah and that he wasn’t finding things as easy as he did last campaign. He was still scoring goals and playing decent football, but not in the way that he was last season. However, over the past couple of months he seems to have gotten back to his very best. He’s been scoring goals for fun of late, and deciding close games in Liverpool’s favour. We’ve seen that recently against both Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace. Those were tight games that Jurgen Klopp’s team may not have won without Salah’s influence. So, yes, there probably was an element earlier on this term of teams figuring out what the former Roma man wanted to do. But he has managed to raise his game to another level and prove that he truly is one of the best players in world football.
