Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo – ie the “the best in the world right now” vs the GOAT – go head-to-head on Sunday at Old Trafford when Liverpool tackle Man Utd
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Jurgen Klopp previews Manchester United clash
Mo Salah shares the same secret ingredient that has turned Cristiano Ronaldo into one of the greatest of all time.
And – according to Jurgen Klopp, who has managed such top strikers as Robert Lewandowski and Pierre-Emerick Aybameyang – it will allow the Liverpool forward to be the world’s best for years to come.
The two go head to head in a mouth-watering showdown at Old Trafford on Sunday, when Ronaldo the GOAT faces “the best in the world right now”, in the view of his manager.
Salah certainly has the edge this season, over Ronaldo AND the rest of the Premier League ’s finest strikers.
He has most goals per 90 in the league, with the Manchester United striker second; most goal involvements, most goals since the start of last season, most touches in the penalty area – again with Ronaldo second – and second most assists and dribbles, with Ronaldo third.
And when he was asked if Salah compares to Ronaldo in his utter dedication and obsession with being the best and staying at the top well into his 30s, Klopp replied: “Yes. You need luck, because things like injuries and stuff can happen, but I think the professionalism of both is the one thing you can compare 100%, and can say it is probably the same.
“Mo is incredibly professional. He is really the first one in and very, very often the last out of all the players. He is constantly interested in all the things he can do and has to do to keep or improve his standard.
“All of these kind of things he has…and I think he still has a lot (more) to give, 100%.”
Salah has been on fire this season, scoring in all but one of his 11 appearances this season (and even having a goal disallowed in that one game) putting pressure on the Anfield board to give him a new, extended contract.
Salah or Ronaldo, who is your pick? Let us know who and why down below.
Former Liverpool star Glenn Johnson says they should, by arguing that like Ronaldo, he can be a great for the next five years. “The way he is still playing they definitely need to keep him,” he said.
“He looks after himself and trains right, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he goes on to have a long career like Ronaldo, and keep this form up for the next five years.”
And Klopp agrees. He described both Salah and Ronaldo as “world class obviously”, suggest the United player has the better right foot and his own star a superior left.
But he argued the Egyptian has an x factor at the moment, which makes him think something special will happen every time he gets the ball…as his goals against Atletico, Watford and City proved.
“It is all about the quality of Mo in this moment to do it, to try it. Atletico knew about this ability and wanted to defend it desperately and still couldn’t do it.
“That is pretty special, pretty special. I am really happy and more than fine with the players I could watch during my time, and being quite positive when they got the ball, that something special will happen.”
Klopp has Curtis Jones back for the visit to United, but Thiago won’t return to full training until next week.
