Michael Owen has claimed that he has been left ‘totally surprised’ by Mo Salah at Liverpool and how his improvement has ‘staggered me’, as he told DAZN.
The striker turned pundit added that Salah has ‘mastered some finishes’ in Liverpool colours, but he still watches him and thinks ‘you can improve your finishing’.
In 2017, Liverpool signed the former Chelsea player from Roma for a fee of £34 million (BBC Sport) and it has turned out to be one of the best pieces of business the club could have done.
Already a club legend, with another Golden Boot added to his name last season, Salah could argue that he is probably one of the best players in the Premier League today.
That’s why the Anfield faithful were over the moon when the Egyptian star signed a new contract at the club this summer, following the exit of his partner in crime, Sadio Mane.
If Salah continues to do the business for a few more years, Owen thinks that he might end up being in the conversation of ‘one of the greatest of all time’.
“Not anymore (on being surprised by Salah),” said Owen. “But I think you would be a liar if anyone said they expected 40+ goals in his first season.
“Partly because we had seen him at Chelsea. He certainly didn’t look like a goalscorer there. He started to look like a goalscorer in Rome.
“But to come and score 40+ in your first season, and then continually do it, I am totally surprised.
“I always thought (goalscoring) was instinctive and it’s a natural born thing, whether you are a good finisher or you are not. And I do think, to a certain extent (it is instinctive), with certain runs.
“But I have watched him now and thought ‘you can improve as a finisher’. He’s mastered some finishes as well. His improvement has staggered me and most of the footballing world. If he continues this level for a few more years, we will be talking about one of the greatest of all time.”
SALAH ONE OF LIVERPOOL’S GREATEST
One thing that can’t be argued is that Salah’s name is now in the legendary books at Anfield, alongside club greats such as Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush.
Is he regarded as better than those? Probably not, but he still probably gets into Liverpool’s all-time XI and there are still plenty of years left for Salah to enhance his status even further.
Salah won the Golden Boot in the Premier League last season, but he wasn’t able to push his side over that title line, with Manchester City winning the main crown on the last day of the season.
There’s no doubt that the red side of Merseyside will be determined to do the business this season because the players are desperate to win the title with fans present inside the stadium.
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