"Without him, they might not be top of the league" - Steve Nicol snubs Mohamed Salah as he names Liverpool star as Player of the Season
Liverpool legend Steve Nicol has named Ryan Gravenberch as the Premier League player of the season so far ahead of star forward Mohamed Salah. He lavished praise on the midfielder for the impact he's had this term.
Arne Slot's side currently sit at the top of the Premier League table after an excellent start to the 2024-25 campaign. The Reds are five points ahead of second-placed Manchester City, while Arsenal trail nine points behind in fourth.
Gravenberch has played a key role for Slot, starting all of Liverpool's Premier League and Champions League fixtures so far. Speaking on ESPN this week, pundits Steve Nicol, Mark Ogden, Don Hutchinson, and Shaka Hislop gave their early nominations for the Premier League Player of the Season.
While others opted for Virgil van Dijk, Salah, and Luis Diaz, Nicol gave the award to Gravenberch. When asked why he picked the Dutch midfielder ahead of the likes of Salah and Van Dijk, the Liverpool legend said (via TBR Football):
“It’s the importance that he’s (had). I mean, we’re basically looking at a team who looked as though they had absolutely a big hole in the middle of the park that had to be filled."
“They tried to make a couple of signings in that particular area, didn’t work out and so Gravenberch started. Absolutely I would argue that, without Gravenberch, Liverpool might not be top of the league, let me put it that way, how important he’s been.”
“The fact that you’re actually talking about Gravenberch in the same breath as Mo Salah tells you how good how good Gravenberch has been.”
Liverpool will face Southampton at St.Mary's Stadium on Sunday (November 24).
"I just don’t think he’s world-class" - Ex-Premier League star makes daring claim about Liverpool's Mohamed Salah
Former Watford striker Troy Deeney believes Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah cannot be considered a world-class player.
Salah has established himself as one of the best wingers to have played in the English top tier with his incredible form for the Merseysiders. The Egyptian forward has consistently managed to score 20+ goals a season since he arrived at Anfield in 2017.
Salah, 32, has shown no signs of aging this season, contributing 10 goals and assists each across all competitions. However, while acknowledging the former Chelsea forward's goalscoring prowess, Deeney does not see Salah in the world-class category.
He said on talkSPORT (via FourFourTwo):
"My argument has always been that I just don’t think he’s world class. But world class is just a different opinion, what I think of world class is would I want my kids to play like that player? That's what I think is world class."
"His goals that he [Salah] scores, he scores an unbelievable amount of goals, he's highly effective, but that’s just my opinion. He's probably going to turn around and say, 'Who the f*** is Troy?,' and fair play to him, but that's my opinion," he added.