Former Watford striker Troy Deeney has claimed that Mohamed Salah is not world-class and put Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior ahead of the Liverpool winger.
Now in his eighth season at Anfield, Salah remains a consistent goal threat and has played a key role in Arne Slot’s side’s superb start to the Premier League season.
The Egyptian winger already has eight goals and six assists in just 11 league games, with only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt boasting more goals in a Liverpool shirt.
Vinicius Junior, meanwhile, has enjoyed an equally impressive start to the season, with eight goals and four assists in his 12 La Liga games so far this season.
The Brazillian look certain to win the Ballon d’Or last month but was pipped to the post by Manchester City midfielder Rodri.
Despite that, his playstyle has earned him plaudits from former striker Deeney who said he preferred the Real Madrid forward to Salah having boldly claimed the Egyptian star was not world-class.
‘I think Mohamed Salah is excellent, he’s a pivotal part for Liverpool and they should never have let it [his expiring contract] get to this situation,’ Deeney told talkSPORT.
‘But I understand that there’s a financial structure around what they want to try and keep to. My argument has always been that I just don’t think he’s world-class.
‘But world-class is just a different opinion, what I think of world-class is would I want my kids to play like that player? That’s what I think is world-class.
‘If I was asking my kids who want to be forwards, I would be saying I would like them to look at what Vinicius Jr does as opposed to Mohamed Salah.
‘But his goals that he [Salah] scores, he scores an unbelievable amount of goals, he’s highly effective, but that’s just my opinion.
‘He’s probably going to turn around and say, “Who the f*** is Troy?,” and fair play to him, but that’s my opinion.’
Salah faces an uncertain future at Anfield with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.
The 32-year-old will be free to talk to clubs outside England in January, with the Reds reportedly already drawing up options to replace him should he choose not to sign a new contract.
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