Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is displaying a similar level of quality to Lionel Messi, according to former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
Salah has won the Premier League s Golden Boot award for the past two seasons although he shared it with club team-mate Sadio Mane and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2018-19 and the 27-year-old already has 13 goals to his name in all competitions this season.
The former Roma forward has also provided seven assists, a tally which includes teeing up Naby Keita s opening goal in Liverpool s 2-1 win over Monterrey in the Club World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.
With the Egyptian stepping into a playmaker role as well as being an unerringly accurate finisher, Wenger believes Salah is now showing flashes of play on the same level as Barcelona superstar and 2019 Ballon d Or winner Messi.
I like his evolution, Wenger told beIN Sports. Because he had touches [against Monterrey] of a playmaker.
He created chances around the box that are exceptional, there were shades of Messi in him and I like that a guy who can score so many goals also becomes the guy who gives assists.
That is a complete player. That s what we all admire and what we want from our players.
Simply sensational from
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
Wenger was speaking in a joint interview with Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp, who echoed the Frenchman s sentiment.
Very good, very good experiences [with Salah] but the most positive was on the training ground – sensationally good, Klopp said. On the pitch he s great, really, really good.
Liverpool take on Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo in the Club World Cup final on Saturday.