BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks has made the bold claim Mohamed Salah is “on his way back” to his player-of-the-year winning best form after a slow start to the season.
The 2017-18 player of the year has scored four goals in Liverpool’s last three matches, including the opener in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Cardiff City at Anfield.
This comes after what many claimed was a poor start to the campaign in which many critics insisted he was a one-season wonder who could not repeat his heroics of last season.
“Liverpool would have won their game against Cardiff with one arm tied behind their backs and a patch over their eye,” Crooks wrote on BBC Sport as he named Salah in his team of the week.
“Salah spent much of the first half getting Wednesday night’s Champions League victory (and his two goals) against Red Star Belgrade out of his legs before seriously dealing with Neil Warnock’s side.
“By the time the second half was over, Salah had sent the poor Bluebirds packing. I can feel it, the Egyptian is on his way back.”
OPINION
There’s been no doubt that Salah started the season slowly after the mental and physical exertions of a World Cup summer in which he struggled to recover from the dislocated shoulder sustained in the World Cup final. His finishing, final touch and decision-making all seemed awry. But Jurgen Klopp has stood by the Egyptian king and trusted that he would work his way back to his best form by playing rather than sat on the sidelines. The manager is starting to be proved proved right. Salah’s movement, energy and work ethic made him a handful even when his touch had deserted him in front of goal. Now, it is all starting to look natural – rather than forced – in and around the penalty box. Salah is creating mayhem once again, and Liverpool’s opponents should watch out. It was in the autumn of last year that the brilliant forward developed from exciting and super-quick attacker into one of the most lethal on the planet. He could now go on a goal-a-game run for next few months. One-season wonder? Pull the other one.