Why Salah is no doubt one of the best Premier League wingers of all time

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Photo: @MoSalah

Mohamed Salah has had a barnstorming effect throughout his second spell in the Premier League as he immediately put paid to his Chelsea memories with a fantastic performance on his Liverpool debut against Watford.

Since that £36.9 million transfer from AS Roma, Salah's career has gone from strength to strength as he quickly became one of the best wingers in Europe.

Now at the start of his eighth campaign in Merseyside, it is a new season, new hair, but the same Salah as the Egyptian looked fresh, sharp and happy throughout pre-season.

Salah is in such fine shape that teammate Andy Robertson has confirmed he is looking better than ever ahead of 2024/25.

"Every year he comes back in even better shape than he was the season before," said the Scotland defender. "He was one of the players who had a longer summer which was hugely beneficial to him. He managed to get a full pre-season under his belt and looks fit and sharp.

"Mo looks after his body exceptionally well. He's a model professional and someone everyone looks up to. He leaves no stone unturned and that's why he's still in incredible shape.

"Long may that continue. If our main man is playing like that then it's going to help the team."

Although their star man is fit and firing, it was a case of job done against Ipswich Town on the opening day of the new Premier League season. The first top-flight match at Portman Road in 22 years saw the passionate hosts give Liverpool a run for their money.

The Reds were below-par and struggled for intensity in that first half, but produced a much better showing in the second half.

Salah assisted Diogo Jota for the opener before combining with Dominik Szoboszlai to score his first of the season which takes him to the most goals and goal involvements (nine goals and five assists) on the opening weekend of the English top flight. He is set for yet another stellar campaign and Liverpool tickets will see a surge in demand with many eager to see how the Egyptian will fare under Arne Slot.

That match-winning display will have no doubt pleased new boss Arne Slot who became the first Liverpool manager to win his first match in charge since 1991.

Credit must also go to the Reds boss who exploited Ipswich's man-for-man defending by creating avenues for Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah to take on their defenders in wide areas. It is pertinent to note that the new Liverpool boss possesses a good reading of the game and is not afraid to make changes.

The overall expectation has been a radical switch from Jurgen Klopp's heavy metal football to a more controlled tempo under Slot, yet Liverpool still carried the direct threat that was notable under their ex-manager.

Salah was asked about the difference in styles and he said:

"It's quite different. Jurgen was in the team for eight years, he gave everything, now it's a new manager and new system. It's quite different for all of us, we need to adapt. We just need to know his way of playing and enjoy the football.

"We don't need to put more pressure on him, we just need to play football and enjoy our games. Let's see in the end."

Regardless of who the manager is, Salah will score goals in a Liverpool shirt and the win at Ipswich was the latest example of how crucial he alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk are to the Liverpool cause. Astonishingly, each player could sign a pre-contract agreement with another club in just five months and the Anfield side must agree on new deals to avoid losing them as free agents.

While Liverpool have started an important campaign brilliantly, Salah was key to that as he reached 300 goal contributions in 350 appearances for the Reds. He currently has eight months to add to that impressive tally amid interest from Saudi Arabia as there has been no sign of an offer so far.

The Liverpool owners are cautious of handing out lucrative contract extensions to players in their 30s, and they arrive at a crossroads in the case of their best player.

Salah is recognised as one of the best forwards in world football and interest in him is set to be rife with Saudi's Public Investment Fund willing to wait to sign him on a free transfer rather than attempt another big-money offer like last summer.

Yet the one-time Premier League and Champions League winner is contemplating his future depending on how the team evolves in the new era under Slot.

One of the best of the modern era

In a summer of complete inactivity concerning new signings at Liverpool, sorting the futures of their current stars is as important as recruits for The Reds.

The 32-year-old will be key to Liverpool's success this season as they embark on domestic and European commitments. Salah has been world-class since arriving at Anfield in 2017, although he hasn't always delivered the goods when Liverpool have needed him the most.

Yet, the 96-cap Egypt international would take his place in most Liverpool all-time greatest XIs and those close to the player believe he is showing no signs of slowing down and could play well into his 30s. Salah is bubbly as ever and engaged within the AXA Training Centre as he is becoming one of the loudest voices in the dressing room due to his ever-growing influence as a leader.

Should he stick around to win a few more trophies under Slot, Salah will cement his place in Liverpool's history but much of that depends on how quickly they evolve as a team and how well they recruit new players.

Whatever happens with Salah come the end of the 2024/25 season, he has already defined an era in Liverpool's immense success under Klopp. He will indeed be remembered as a consummate professional and his evolution into a ruthless goalscoring winger is the result of hard work and perseverance.

At the twilight of the Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi golden years, Salah made the Premier League his playground. It is a body of achievements that can never be taken away from him.

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