‘A level above…’ – The Times journalist lauds Liverpool maestro who ‘looks better than ever’

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A respected journalist believest that one long-serving Liverpool stalwart is operating at a level as good as anything we’ve seen him at Anfield so far.

Mo Salah has enjoyed a fast start to the season, with three goals and assists each across our first three league matches and a goalscoring 100th cap for Egypt in their 4-0 win over Botswana on Tuesday.

Speaking on the Media Matters podcast by Anfield Index, Jonathan Northcroft waxed lyrical about the 32-year-old’s recent displays, claiming that our number 11 is still calling the tune on the pitch for the Reds.

The Times journalist said: “Mo Salah is still a level above. The assists against United, the way he’s been dictating games – it’s incredible. At 32, Salah looks better than ever.”

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If there were any fears among Liverpool fans that Salah’s performances would enter a sustained decline after he turned 32 over the summer, he’s quickly dispelled such doubts with the form that he’s shown to start the campaign.

The G/A returns will always be the first place to which supporters, media and pundits look when assessing a forward’s performance, but the Egyptian’s underlying metrics have also been distinguished in the early weeks of the season.

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WhoScored rank him as our joint-best overall performer so far in 2024/25, with the 32-year-old topping the charts for shots per game (3.3) and coming in second for successful dribbles per match (1.3) and xG (2.06).

As Northcroft says, it isn’t just Salah’s goals which have caught the eye in recent weeks, but also his commanding performances and the pair of assists he provided for Luis Diaz at Old Trafford earlier this month.

The increased fixture workload from Saturday onwards could test the Egyptian King’s stamina to maintain such levels, but if any player in modern times is capable of defying convention by consistently reaching phenomenal standards, it’s the man in the number 11 shirt.

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