Mohamed Salah was once again the talk of the town after he marshalled Liverpool to a statement victory over Manchester City.
The Reds moved 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League table on Sunday afternoon, with Salah picking up a goal and assist – taking his goal contribution tally to 41 in the Premier League this season.
The Egyptian, who is still out of contract at the end of the campaign, ran the show, and was hailed as a Ballon d’Or front-runner as early as February – while Jamie Carragher compared him to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
If Liverpool lift the Premier League title in May – they have 11 games left this season – Salah will ease to the player of the year award. But he could be set for bigger honours – despite not knowing where he will play his football in as few as six months’ time.
It was Gary Neville, Daniel Sturridge, Micah Richards and Carragher who were singing the forward’s praises this time.
Neville took the lead on commentary on Sky Sports, awarding him player of the match, lauding his form and the best season of his illustrious Liverpool career.
Sky Sports pundits have debated whether Mohamed Salah is the best player in the history of the Premier League
He has 41 goal contributions to his name this season on the back of Liverpool’s win over Manchester City
The Reds forward picked up another goal and an assist in his side’s 2-0 victory
‘I have no hesitation in naming Mo Salah player of the match. It’s the 11th Premier League game this season he’s got a goal and an assist,’ Neville began. ‘He’s a magnificent player that is at an absolutely golden moment, a golden period in his career where everything feels so easy for him.
‘It was a beautiful performance for him today. He’s a different level than anything out on that pitch.’
Carragher, meanwhile, said on punditry: ‘He’s having a Messi and Ronaldo season, isn’t he? In terms of scoring.’
Sturridge then interrupted: ‘We’re talking Ballon d’Ors now. If we’re not talking Ballon d’Ors, with Mohamed Salah, then it’s getting out of hand. We have to start putting him in the conversation now, I don’t even know if he’s had a top three vote yet.’
Carragher continued: ‘This is going to end up being the greatest season we’ve ever seen from an individual. I have no doubt about that. And it’s not whether he finishes above those players in terms of numbers, it’s how far and maybe sets the bar so high that in the future, nobody can ever get there ever again.
‘We are seeing something special. We know that over the last seven or eight years, but this was like an all-timer season this.’
One man, according to Carragher, though, is still ahead of him.
‘I think when you look at the names (of top goal contributors), some are goals scorers and some are sort of great players. Alan Shearer is a great goal scorer, he’s still a great player.
Daniel Sturridge (second left) said he is already the front-runner for the Ballon d’Or, while Jamie Carragher (right) put him in the top two players of all time
Liverpool look to be charging to a second Premier League title with 11 games left to play
The Reds, anchored by Salah, are 11 points clear of second-place Arsenal in the standings
‘Thierry Henry is a great player. And I think most people would say when we talk about the Premier League, we probably always put Thierry Henry on the top. For me, Mo Salah is definitely second. And if he signs a new contract, that is going to be a fight.’
Carragher pointed out, sat next to Micah Richards, that Henry is their colleague so they still had to go with him as the best player the Premier League has ever seen.
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Richards chimed in on the debate, having briefly played alongside the Egyptian at Fiorentina.
‘He was at Basel, he went to Florentina, he goes to Roma,’ Richards began. ‘Obviously didn’t work very much Chelsea, but when he got into the Premier League with Liverpool, I just knew
‘I think the greatest compliment I can give, Salah, is he doesn’t have to play well. There’s an interview., and I was like, “this player is too good for Florentina. We shouldn’t have him”. He came there on loan. But I just knew, his touch, his technique, how selfish he was in front of goal.
‘He went to Juventus in the Coppa Italia. He ran from 40, 50 yards past some of the best defenders in the league at the time. I just knew was special.’
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