- Egyptian forward rarely injured
- Also steers clear of suspension
- His game is all about goals
WHAT HAPPENED? The Egyptian forward is rarely injured, which remains music to the ears of Reds boss Jurgen Klopp. Salah has been a revelation for Liverpool since signing in 2017, with 178 goals recorded through 291 appearances. Of that return, 129 have come in the Premier League – with Fowler seeing his record haul for Liverpool in the English top-flight bettered by a man that has taken in 61 fewer games that he managed for the Merseyside giants.
WHAT THEY SAID: Fowler has told The Athletic of happily surrendering a notable goal crown to the talismanic Salah: “To go through your career without a serious injury of course you need a bit of luck,” Fowler says. “But his appearance record also says a lot about how Mo looks after himself. Cristiano Ronaldo gets a lot of plaudits on that front and Mo deserves the same. His body is a temple. He’s completely devoted to his profession. He’s the perfect example for the young players coming through in terms of how to lead your life. I’m sure he’s played a lot with aches and pains, but he just hates missing games.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Salah does not pick up suspensions either, having been booked just seven times – with four of those cautions coming for taking his shirt off in celebration – and Fowler believes he can raise a bar of individual brilliance at Anfield to a height that few will ever be able to dream of reaching. The former Reds frontman added: “He’s only 30 and he should still have many years left at the top level. It’s exciting to think about what he could still achieve. There are more chapters to be written. Pace and strength are two of his biggest assets. He can burst away from defenders but he’s also so good at using his body, whether that’s to look after the ball and link play or spin away from his marker. He’s so dangerous when he’s running in behind, cutting in off the right onto his left foot. But he can also operate in tight spaces. He has that hunger to score goals. He always wants more. He never settles.”
IN THREE PHOTOS:
(C)Getty Images
Getty Images
GettyWHAT NEXT? Salah, who has never made fewer than 48 appearances for Liverpool across any given campaign, has netted 22 times through 37 outings this season – with those efforts, which included a brace in the 7-0 mauling of Manchester United, helping to keep Klopp’s side in the hunt for a top-four finish.