Mohamed Salah is enjoying his best-ever season in front of goal for Liverpool, but club legend John Barnes thinks Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai could pip him to prizes
Liverpool legend John Barnes has told Mohamed Salah that he needs to keep the accelerator down until the end of the season if he wants to scoop personal awards. Salah is enjoying a remarkable campaign for Liverpool, who are poised to claim the Premier League title.
The Egyptian star has contributed 32 goals and 22 assists in just 43 matches so far this season and has already ensured his most prolific season in a Liverpool shirt. His consistency at the top end of the pitch has been key to Arne Slot’s side taking a 12-point lead in the Premier League title race and Salah should lift the trophy for the second time in his career.
That is Liverpool’s only remaining goal this season after they lost the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle, were dumped out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain and exited the FA Cup at the hands of Plymouth. But as well as the Premier League trophy, Salah will have one eye on individual recognition.
Former Liverpool winger Barnes thinks that, while Salah is ahead of the chasing pack, he isn’t guaranteed Player of the Year awards. Speaking to PokerScout, he name-checked captain Virgil van Dijk and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai as alternatives.
When asked who the contenders were, Barnes said: “It really depends on what happens between now and the end of the season. I know players who have won the player of the season, because they’ve done well between March and May. They may not have done well before, but of course, that’s what we remember; that’s the freshest information.
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“When the end of the season comes, we think about who’s done well and who’s doing well? Rather than thinking, well they did really well up until January, but then of course between March and May they didn’t, so it really depends on what happens between now and the end of the season.
“From Liverpool you have to look at the last two or three matches and Salah hasn’t done much and if he continues to do that maybe he won’t win it.
It’s hard to look beyond Liverpool players when thinking about the contenders because they’ve been the best team in the league and the most consistent team.
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“Mo hasn’t impressed me more than others. Szoboszlai has impressed me. Virgil has been really good. It has been a really good team performance. From the end of the season, it really depends on who has done well.
“The whole Liverpool team has been fantastic. I’d give Virgil more of a chance to be named player of the season because of what he’s actually done. Up until this point, he’s been our most consistent performer.”
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