Liverpool's Mohamed Salah has been outstanding in the Premier League this season.
Image: MI News / NurPhoto via AFP
Anfield will be the focus of the Premier League this weekend as Liverpool take on arch-rivals Manchester United in a titanic showdown.
The Reds, six points clear at the summit, will be aiming to maintain their dominance and inch closer to their 20th league title.
Meanwhile, Manchester United, under new manager Ruben Amorim, are desperate for a win, having continued their slump with a loss against Newcastle this week. Their recent loss finds them languishing in 14th place, just seven points of the relegation zone.
Ahead of the game on Sunday, Showmax caught up with the man of the moment, Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah, to chat about his incredible season so far.
Salah is currently the Premier League's top scorer (17), and has the most assists (13) in the league.
You’ve had an amazing season so far, scoring 20 goals and getting 17 assists. Do you agree that if the season ended right now you would be favourite to be crowned player of the year and to win the Ballon d’Or?
I don’t know. People see it in different ways, some people prefer me, others prefer other players. So far, I’ve had a good season. But again, the most important thing is to win the Premier League and for me to play a big part in doing so.
Combining goals and assists, you have reached the same number already as Vinícius Júnior did last season. You voted for Vini Jr for the FIFA Best Player award. Firstly, why did you vote for him and secondly is it amazing that you have his numbers and we are only half way through this season?
Of course it’s very good to have those numbers in January. It’s something incredible. I voted for Vini Jr because I like him, and he was great last season. I think it was between him and Rodri last season. Some people preferred Rodri and some preferred Vini Jr so I voted for him and Rodri. Vini had a good season and ended it in a very good way, scoring in the final. They both deserved it, to be honest. I see Vini Jr as a great player. He’s doing good, he just needs to keep going. We text sometimes and I wish him the best. He needs to keep going and enjoy his football.
How proud are you of your career at Liverpool so far? You have scored 20+ goals in every season since you signed.
It’s something incredible, something that I am very proud of. I worked very hard for it. Being a winger and getting those numbers isn’t easy. I feel like people will appreciate it even more when they see it in the future, because some people may see it as normal, because I have done it every year for the last eight seasons. But for a winger to do it every year is quite hard.
I think people appreciate what I have done, but when you are scoring those numbers every year for six, seven, or eight years, they see it as normal. But it isn’t easy at all.
You scored 44 goals and created 14 assists in your debut Liverpool season. How did you do it? And do you think you can beat it this season?
Hopefully. The plan is to beat those numbers. So far, my numbers are good, so hopefully I can beat it. But again, I don’t want to beat those numbers and not win a trophy. I just want to have a trophy, even if my numbers are a little less.
You have been crowned top scorer in the Premier League three times already. Do you think you can make it number four this season?
The fourth would be quite tricky. We have many good strikers that are scoring lots of goals this season, so it won’t be easy. Winning it three times is something incredible because usually wingers win it once, maximum. I don’t take it for granted. I am humble and privileged to have won it.
After eight seasons with Liverpool, which stands out as your favourite Liverpool goal?
That’s a tough one, but if I had to choose it would be my first goal against Manchester United, because I failed to score in the first two seasons with Liverpool against United. That feeling was incredible. Another one of my favourites is my goal against Man City at home when we drew 2-2.
Who has been your favourite attacker to play alongside at Liverpool so far?
I like all the guys, to be fair. But Roberto Firmino will stand out as the best. I think myself and Sadio Mane could have been better, but it wasn’t the way I wanted it to end. I like Darwin Nunez a lot. He lights up something in me that no attacker has ever done. He is always running, making those moves for the pass and to receive the ball. He is a different kind of footballer. His movement is amazing, so he may be my favourite.
What is the toughest moment you have endured in a Liverpool shirt?
It has to be the Champions League final against Real Madrid when I got injured. Only footballers will understand just how tough it is to work your hardest the whole season only to get injured in the most important moment of the season, so it was tough.
You won everything you could with Liverpool. How do you feel about the journey and the club?
It’s been an incredible journey. I have enjoyed every moment at this football club, even when we struggled. I have enjoyed the good and bad moments. Some people run away from the bad moments. I don’t. I take in every moment, because I know once I am no longer a footballer, I will never experience these moments again. Also, there are lessons to be learnt in both good and bad moments. So, I take it all in.
Turning our attention to South American players. You have spoken about your appreciation for Darwin Nunez. But what has it been like playing alongside Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister, who are both having outstanding seasons?
Alexis is a great player. Lucho is also very good. They both understand football, they bring a great vibe to the team, they laugh a lot and enjoy their football. Off the field, I try and learn Spanish from them. They are very good teammates. They work hard, they are humble, and I am very happy for them because they are playing so well. Hopefully we can continue in this good way and win trophies together.
Do you feel like you are still improving as player at 32?
I think so. To this day, I still ask players, the young and the more experienced players, which areas I can improve in. This is part of me. Some people see the things you can’t and so I am always asking where I can improve. I always feel like there’s improvements in many things in my game.
How has new Liverpool manager Arne Slot been for you and the team as a whole?
The team is really good, and I think we have all improved. We all needed a fresh approach after seven years with Jürgen Klopp where we achieved everything. Hopefully with the new manager, we will win everything too. I am very happy for the team because we are doing so well.
* Watch Liverpool vs Manchester United live on Showmax Premier League at 18:30
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