Liverpool manager Arne Slot has said Mohamed Salah’s ability to transform games when not at his best sets him apart as a ‘special’ footballer.
Salah scored twice and created another as Liverpool drew 3-3 at Newcastle United on Wednesday night, with the Egyptian bursting into life in the second half.
Liverpool had looked second best during the opening exchanges and trailed at half-time, before Salah inspired an improved second-half performance.
Slot was again questioned on Salah’s future, with the 32-year-old out of contract at the end of the season and no news on an extension. The Dutchman sidestepped the question on a new deal but praised Salah as ‘special’ talent.
“It is difficult for me to predict the long-term future, the only thing I can expect or predict is he is in a very good place at the moment,” Slot said at his post-match press conference.
“He plays in a very good team that provides him with good opportunities and then he is able to do special things. What makes him even more special for me is before we scored for 1-1 you thought, ‘He is not playing his best game today,’ but then to come up with a half-hour with an assist, two goals, having a shot against the bar and being a constant threat, that is something not many players can do if they’ve played the first hour like he did.
“So, that is also what makes him special, apart from if you just look at the goals. His finishing is so clinical. A special player, but that’s what we all know.”
Salah extended his record in the Premier League to 13 goals and eight assists in 14 games this season and Slot was asked whether the winger’s level has surprised him since arriving at Anfield.
“I have seen many games of last season but it is always difficult to judge a player if you are not there. What I did most was [look at] style of play and team performance and not that much the individual performance and what I noticed from the start, when he came in [in pre-season was] how fit he was, how ready he was to make it a very good season for him.
“That he led by example from the first day onwards in pre-season where so many of his teammates who he usually plays with, so the international players, were not there and to still be able to work that hard, he did, and train so hard: yeah, and then we all saw the quality in the training sessions. So it’s not a surprising thing for me that he’s done so well until now.”
