LIVERPOOL: Jurgen Klopp believes comparisons between Mohamed Salah andBarcelona’s five-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi are premature, butthat the Egyptian is on his way to one day becoming the best player in theworld.Salah’s stunning season continued with a four-goal haul in a 5-0 thrashingof Watford at Anfield to take his tally for the season to 36 on Saturday —the most goals ever scored by a Liverpool player in their debut year at theclub.Messi showed why he is still widely considered the world’s best by scoringhis 100th Champions League goal in tearing Chelsea apart in a 3-0 win onWednesday.But Klopp believes Salah, 25, has time on his side to succeed Messi andReal Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo, both now in their thirties, as theworld’s best player.“I think Mo is on the way (to being the best in the world),” said Klopp.“I don’t think Mo or anybody else wants to be compared with Lionel Messi.He is the one who is doing what he’s doing for what feels like 20 years orso.”And Klopp challenged Salah to maintain the standards he has set this seasonin the manner Messi and Ronaldo have for the past decade.“As it always is in life, if you have the skills, you have to show thatconstantly, and consistently he is very good and he helps us a lot.”Salah even defied the slippery conditions of a snow storm as he weaved hisway past Jose Holebas to slot home the opener after just four minutes.“Conditions were difficult. It was obviously slippery and everybodysuffered, but not Mo in that situation. It was really special,” added Klopp.Liverpool had to wait until two minutes before half-time to double theiradvantage, but there was no surprise who was on the end of a sweeping teammove as Salah got his second of the evening from Andy Robertson’sinch-perfect cross.Salah turned provider immediately after the break when his cross waswonderfully backheeled past Karnezis by Roberto Firmino.The Egyptian made it 4-0 with 13 minutes remaining as, despite fallingover, he managed to slide the ball past Karnezis.And he then capped off a brilliant personal performance in the dyingseconds, thrashing into the roof of the net after Karnezis had fumbledDanny Ings’ shot.“Seems crazy to say that a £37.5m signing is an absolute bargain, but howmuch would Mo Salah cost now?” tweeted former England and Barcelona strikerGary Lineker. “What a player.”Michael Owen scored 118 goals for Liverpool and you suspect it will not belong before the Egyptian is closing in on his tally.“Scoring goals has always been regarded as the hardest part of the game,”tweeted Owen. “Mo Salah is starting to make me question that statement.” -APP/AFP
Mohammad Saleh: The future Lionel Messi of Football World