In the race for the European golden boot. Messi and Salah are tied. 29 league goals each. Since signing for Liverpool in the summer of 2017, Mo has gone from strength to strength, and the Liverpool fans have fallen in love with their new talisman. He looks set to win the Premier League golden boot in his Premier League return. And with five league games to play, is just two goals off of the record of 31 goals in a 38 game season. Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suarez and Alan Shearer are all tied with that amount, illustrious company for Salah to compete with. Not just for him to compete with, but to surpass.
Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has held the record for most goals scored in a single season by an African since 2010. When Salah scored a late winner against Palace on March 31st, he pulled up right besides him. He has already comfortably broken the record for most league goals scored by a foreigner in their debut season. A tally which stood at 24 goals, scored by former red Fernando Torres. Salah's goal against Palace was also the 21st league game he has struck in this season, a joint highest. Cristiano Ronaldo and Robin Van Persie also scored in 21 league games during a single season, and with five games to go, one more goal will make that record his own.
Records continue to tumble with Salah. With 38 goals in all competitions this season, scored in just 41 games, that is the third highest amount ever chalked up by a Liverpool player. Trailing to tallies of 40 and 47 goals, both held by Ian Rush. Mo's debut season for the redmen is the most prolific in the clubs history, and seeing him surpass Rush's record with a minimum of six games left to play is not an impossibility. This season has also seen Robbie Fowler's record for 20 left footed goals in a season surpassed, no prizes for guessing who by.
I'm sure by now I've explained just how good of a season Salah is having. But how does it explain a comparison to Lionel Messi? That would be the execution of his play style. An ability to take on defenders and make them look like amateurs is one that Messi has used to great effect throughout his career. This season, Salah is following in suit. Taking of opposition at full flight, his composure never ceases to amaze. Whether the ball is bouncing, gliding along the turf, or being floated over to him, Salah doesn't panic. Take his most recent goal. The opener against Manchester City in an already famous night at Anfield. Inside 10 minutes, the ball fell to the Egyptian, 6 yards from goal, with the goal gaping. But with Ederson and Kyle Walker both throwing themselves in his direction. The Kop screaming in front of him, and huge expectation on his shoulders. So many would crumble, Salah made it look just as easy as it was. Never rushing, never lashing at it, just firing the ball home.
Now you might be asking. "How does scoring a goal as easy as that compare him to Messi?" If you're asking that you've clearly missed the point but I present, exhibit B. Salah recently struck four (yes four) at Anfield against Watford. His third goal being the pick of the bunch in my opinion. With six (yes six) yellow shirts around him, Liverpool's number 11 twisted and turned, taking every one of them out of the game. Somehow keeping his balance, and then hooking the ball out from underneath his feet, past a stranded goalkeeper and into the corner. That goal wasn't even the only one from that 90 minutes which drew comparisons to Messi. For his first he drove at Watford's defender, gestured to come inside and quickly dropped his shoulder to go outside. Leaving the back tracking defender to fall back as Salah slotted in the goal. In almost identical fashion to how Lionel Messi left Boateng scrambling at the Nou Camp in 2015.
Anyone who still disagrees with me might be saying. "Oh that's just one game." Again, I'd question just how much football you watch. Salah has been hitting these heights all season and playing to a remarkable standard. Away at Porto in the Champions League, Salah was not the star man for the night, with Sadio Mane hitting a hat-trick. However the goal of the night went to the Egyptian, for perhaps the most composed goal you will see all season. After the ball came back off of the post and bounced up for Salah he proceeded to flick it up, before keeping it alive with his head. Knocking it over a diving goalkeeper. As it dropped a defender threw himself in the way of the ball, so Mo allowed it to drop, waiting for the man to over commit. Which he did, before tapping it into an empty net on the volley. The goal oozed class. The man oozes class.
So... this season Salah has demonstrated the play style of Lionel Messi. Scored at the rate of Messi. Broken record after record, and did it with a class and style we're use to seeing from Argentinian number 10's. The key wording there however is 'this season.' This season, Salah has been as good as Messi. But what about next season? And the one after that and so on. I personally believe Salah, if he continues to grow and evolve his game, can be at that level. He has all the tools, a talented set of team mates who all know his quality, and a fan base who quite literally worship him. When Jurgen Klopp signed Mohamed Salah from Roma last summer, no one would have predicted this. Four Premier League POTM awards already to his name, he has also been nominated for March's award. A front runner for the PFA POTY award, competing mostly with Man City's Kevin De Bruyne. The accolades do just continue to stack up and they don't appear to be slowing down.
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