"The most professional player I've had the privilege to share the pitch with" - Liverpool star heaps praises on Mohamed Salah
Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has waxed lyrical of his attacking teammate Mohamed Salah, deeming the Egyptian to be an epitome of professionalism.
Salah, 31, has been a standout performer for the Reds since arriving from AS Roma in the summer of 2017. In 327 games across competitions, he has bagged exactly 200 goals and 87 assists. That includes 14 goals and eight assists in 22 games this season.
The winger bagged his 200th Reds goal in the 2-1 Premier League win at Crystal Palace last weekend, which sent Jurgen Klopp's side top of the pile after 16 games. Salah bagged a 76th-minute equaliser before setting up Harvey Elliot's stoppage-time winner.
Alexander-Arnold lavished praise on Salah for being the ideal role model and a consummate professional (as per The Anfield Talk):
“If I'm lucky enough to have kids and grandkids its not the goals and assists I'll talk about, but the inspiration he was... the role model...the most professional player I have been privileged enough to share the pitch with."
Alexander-Arnold, who made his Reds first-team debut in the 2016-17 season, is into his seventh straight campaign with Salah. The duo have shared the pitch a whopping 264 times across competitions, combining for 14 joint goal contributions (Salah-5 assists, Alexander-Arnold-9).
Liverpool manager to go for 'good mix' of experience and youth in USG clash
Liverpool are already through to the UEFA Europa League knockouts as group winners ahead of their trip to Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise on Thursday (December 14).
Playing in the competition for the first time in nearly a decade, the Reds won four of their opening five clashes, including a 2-0 home win over USG on matchday two.
Ahead of Liverpool's final group game, manager Jurgen Klopp wants to have a heady mix of youth and experience (as per the Reds' website):
"It is really important you find a group who can really fight in a game, who can really go for it, because that is the job to do. We are physically in the situation to do that and from a determination point of view as well.
"I think we found that, and I hope we can choose that lineup because you never know what happens overnight. The line-up in my mind, the line-up we used today in training, would mean we have a good mix between a bit more experience and youth. We want to go for it."
The Reds are looking to win the Europa League for the first time under Klopp, having finished runner-up in their last appearance in 2015-16.