Mohamed Salah Liverpool 2018-19

'Salah is getting back to his best' - Liverpool legend ignoring stat critics

Mohamed Salah is “getting back to his best”, says Liverpool legend Jan Molby, with his stats for 2018-19 not indicative of how important he remains to the Reds cause.

Having scored 44 goals across all competitions last season, helping himself to a stunning haul of individual honours in the process, expectation around the Egyptian has risen.

More of the same was demanded this term, with Jurgen Klopp once again looking to his Golden Boot-winning forward for inspiration.

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Salah has been steady rather than sparkling thus far, but Molby believes a lot of his best work can go unnoticed as he is not always the man to provide a finishing touch.

The former Reds midfielder told the Liverpool Echo: “Just as some people have seemingly decreed that the team is not as dynamic as last season, similar remarks have been said about Mohamed Salah although his goal in the 2-0 win over Fulham suggested he's getting back to his best.

“A lot of observations on Salah are based on his stats and it is very difficult for him to match his numbers from last season.

“But I think if you look at the highlights from Liverpool's games so far this season he will feature in most of them and they'll be him creating chancing or scoring goals.

“In that respect he's almost as effective as he was last season but the problem is that he obviously finished the campaign with such a flourish, scoring some very magnificent goals, so that's maybe why some people are saying he's not quite at the same levels.

“I still think that he's involved in an awful lot of things that matter so I believe he's actually very close to being where he wants to be.”

Xherdan Shaqiri Liverpool 2018-19

Salah, who has eight goals to his name this season, has been happy to share the burden of creative responsibility at Anfield with those around him.

Summer signing Xherdan Shaqiri is among those to have offered assistance, with the Switzerland international having impressed over recent weeks after finding his feet in new surroundings.

Molby added of the Champions League winner: “Xherdan Shaqiri of course was the other goalscorer [against Fulham] and the Liverpool fans have now got a pretty good feel as to what he is about.

“That involves an awful lot of quality. That was demonstrated with his goal which wasn't an easy volley but he controlled it very well.

“There were doubts about Shaqiri when he came in and some asked the question as to whether he'd get the team ethic for working hard but he's fitted in perfectly and I think he realises this is his last chance at a big club.”

Salah, Shaqiri and co. will be back in domestic action on November 24 when Liverpool put their unbeaten Premier League record on the line during a trip to Watford.

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