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Liverpool news: Reds' title rivals issued major warning over Mohamed Salah form
LIVERPOOL winger Mohamed Salah is unstoppable once he’s in the groove and he’s approaching his peak again, the rest of the Premier League have been warned.
That is the verdict of Shaka Hislop - who thinks the Egyptian is getting back to his “confident best”.
The Egyptian scored in his third successive match at the weekend as Liverpool beat Cardiff 4-1 at Anfield and also set up another two.
Salah’s performance levels had been questioned earlier this season but he now has seven goals and four assists in 14 appearances, just one goal down on his tally at the same time last year.
The 26-year-old is starting to look more and more at ease and much was made of his wide-eyed smile after scoring against Cardiff, having looked glum despite a brace against Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League last week.
And former Premier League goalkeeper Hislop thinks Salah might just be getting back to his prolific best.
He told ESPN FC: “[It is] A different circumstance [this year] given that he had just arrived from Roma [last year] and there were a lot of question marks as to whether he would play, where he would play, he eventually found his feet and the rest is history.
“This time around, coming off the injury in the Champions League final, the World Cup with Egypt even though they didn’t go too far, a stuttering start early on.
“That’s why people started to question whether he could [do it again]. I just felt strikers like Salah, it just takes a goal or two. I never felt that his confidence started to wane.
“He certainly always had the support of Jurgen Klopp and that’s important.
“When you have a front three like Liverpool’s with Mane and Firmino who can pick up the slack, once Salah found his rhythm I just don’t see how you stop him at this point, getting back to his best, his confident best.”
Similarly, BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks thinks the same Salah that broke the record for most goals in a 38-game season in England's top flight and claimed the Golden Boot among several other end-of-year awards is almost back.
Salah stands on 51 goals in just 66 games for Liverpool having become the fastest player in the club’s history to reach the 50-goal landmark against Red Star last week.
Crooks wrote in his Team of the Week column for BBC Sport: “Liverpool would have won their game against Cardiff with one arm tied behind their backs and a patch over their eye.
“Salah spent much of the first half getting Wednesday night's Champions League victory (and his two goals) against Red Star Belgrade out of his legs before seriously dealing with Neil Warnock's side.
“By the time the second half was over, Salah had sent the poor Bluebirds packing. I can feel it, the Egyptian is on his way back.”
Salah will hope to continue his scoring form when Liverpool travel to Arsenal on Saturday (5.30pm) having scored in both of the meetings between the two clubs last term.