Glenn Hoddle waxed-lyrical about Mohamed Salah and his ‘absolutely sublime’ assist during Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
After failing to get Champions League football last season, and in Chelsea’s case, any form of Europe football, then it saw both clubs coming into their opening 2023/24 Premier League fixture with a lot of heat on them.
That’s where you need your star players to step up and Mohamed Salah did just that by helping Liverpool open the scoring with an assist that Hoddle thinks ‘you can’t defend’, as he told Premier League Productions (13/08/23 at 5:30 pm).
After a brilliant ball out wide by summer signing Alexis Mac Allister to Salah, he played a cute and clever ball to the on-rushing Luis Diaz.
The Colombia international didn’t waste that opportunity and poked the ball home from five yards out.
In truth, Salah should have had a goal of his own, but he was marginally offside for his disallowed effort, whilst hitting the crossbar for the other, either way, Hoddle liked what he saw.
“Absolutely sublime,” said Hoddle. “It’s going away (the pass). It’s his left foot. If it’s the right foot, then it’s coming back in towards your teammate.
“But it had to be absolutely perfect because it’s going to go away towards the keeper. It’s spot on. What a pass. You can’t defend that.”
Is Salah Liverpool’s most important player?
Jurgen Klopp has a new-look midfield to work on this season and it could even come under more construction if new faces are signed before the 2023 summer transfer window slams shut in September.
But with Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane last season, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner out of the door, this is now the start of a new era for the club.
And it could be argued that, this season and in the next few years, it makes Salah Liverpool’s most important player.
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