Liverpool looked set to win the quadruple with their incredible form, but everything changed after their sudden FA Cup exit. Bad luck followed, and now the Reds are out of all competitions except the Premier League, which they have already dominated for the most part. With the title nearly secured, they must start preparing for next season.
In a bizarre turn of events, Troy Deeney does not consider Mohamed Salah a world-class player and has doubled down on his controversial stance on the Egyptian forward.
If there was an award for terrible hot takes, Troy Deeney would be firmly in the running with Jamie Carragher and Wayne Rooney, as the former Watford striker has once again claimed that Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah is not “world-class”, despite Salah being in the top six all-time Premier League goalscorers. After Salah’s no-shows in Saturday’s Carabao Cup final, Deeney pounced and threw his name back in the ring for leisure relevance. However, Salah is having a phenomenal season with 32 goals and 22 assists. He is still a favourite for the Ballon d’Or and is firmly in the conversation for the best Liverpool player of all time.
Salah is still the best Right-Winger this season
It’s far from ordinary to register over 50 goal contributions before the season even ends, yet some continue to downplay Mohamed Salah’s impact simply because of a brief dip in form.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Troy Deeney pointed to Salah’s performances against PSG and Newcastle, highlighting his lack of goals or assists in those games. He argued that in such matches, Salah hasn’t made a decisive impact and struggled to create scoring moments. Deeney also suggested that teams have learned to neutralise him by doubling up on him, forcing Liverpool to rely on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s deliveries instead.
Despite acknowledging Salah’s talent, Deeney maintained that he does not consider him world-class.
Deeney pushes agenda against Salah with flawed TalkSPORT comparison
“His numbers and stats are excellent. But what I think of world-class is that feeling you get when you watch someone, like Ronaldinho. Eden Hazard and Luis Suarez when they had those seasons in the Premier League too.”
Deeney’s comments suggest he has a flawed understanding of what it means to be “world-class.” Salah has consistently scored over 20 goals in every season at Anfield, and his numbers this year resemble those of Lionel Messi.
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In contrast, Eden Hazard had just one truly dominant season, yet he never came close to matching Salah’s goal and assist tally since 2017. The Egyptian has been the best player in the world this season, and a quiet spell in two games should not overshadow his overall brilliance. Dismissing his impact based on a short dip in form is nothing more than an agenda-driven narrative.