Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah was singled out for praise by Rio Ferdinand after scoring a brace in a crucial 2-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool started fast against Spurs on Sunday and it was Salah’s sharp touch and finish into the bottom corner that put the Reds ahead. The Egyptian then pounced on an Eric Dier mistake to give Liverpool a two-goal cushion that ultimately proved unassailable.
Jurgen Klopp’s side desperately needed the win - they had suffered shock defeats to relegation-threatened pair Nottingham Forest and Leeds in their last two league outings, but are now back in the top-four mix.
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Last year’s Premier League runners-up now languish in eighth, just seven points off a Champions League place, but some 15 points from Arsenal in top spot.
Ferdinand full of praise
Ferdinand lauded Salah’s talismanic performance, while he also noted the impressive link-up play between the 30-year-old and summer signing Darwin Nunez.
Speaking on his YouTube channel the pundit explained: “Salah looked a cut above again. He looked back to being the Salah we’re accustomed to seeing. He was sharp.
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“For the first goal, the pass, touch inside and the run. Nunez, linking up well.
“First half, they looked really good.”
Klopp unfazed by Salah's critics
While Salah has scored a respectable six Premier League goals this term and provided three assists for his teammates, the Egyptian international has received criticism for his performances.
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Nevertheless, Liverpool boss Klopp noted that though Salah was not reaching the high standards he has set for himself, the forward was still outperforming most players in Europe.
Klopp told BBC Sport: “Even with a ‘slow start’, he was involved in most chances in Europe, in football, but we didn’t take them or he didn’t take them.
“That can happen for a striker, it’s a completely normal phase, but how everybody knows, he will in the end when you look back on his career in four, five or six years, everybody will remember one of the best strikers you ever saw because the numbers will be absolutely insane.
“Tonight, what pleased me the most, he scored the two goals and then he played like a real, real team player.
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“I am not surprised by it, but it is just important because he gets confronted with these questions as well, ‘slow start’ and these kind of things, and then it’s like you have to score a hat-trick here or whatever.
“He was all about first defending and then you will get your chances again. We were in these moments and I think he had a pretty big one, which he takes with one touch – if he takes two touches he was completely free and I think he could have finished it off there.
“So, [I am] really pleased for him, top performance and showed an outstanding attitude tonight.”
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Jurgen Klopp, Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Rio Ferdinand, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Premier League