Comparing footballers from different eras is, of course, an onerous task – but that hasn’t stopped fans from debating who was superior out of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and the reliable Cristiano Ronaldo during his first stint at Manchester United.
There’s no doubt that both wingers have left ever-lasting legacies in Premier League mythology but, for fans, that notion isn’t enough: there must be a winner in their battle for superiority. Even Sky Sports have dedicated segments to finding a winner.
“I don’t want to be disrespectful to Ronaldo – but Premier League Ronaldo vs Premier League Mo Salah, are you sure?” one guest said as another commented: “The Premier League has never seen anything like Cristiano Ronaldo in his prime.”
So, what better way to find a winner than by comparing their, respectively, best seasons in the English top tier? For Salah, it’s difficult to narrow it down, but it’s 2024/25 and for Ronaldo, it’s hard to ignore his Ballon d’Or-winning campaign in 2007/08.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2007/08 Campaign
The Portuguese won the first Ballon d’Or of his career
Where to start with Madeira-born Ronaldo’s memorable season? It was far more than just goals and assists for the Portuguese talisman – it was about the aesthetic, leaving the opposition in their wake and, as a result, being an all-round menace.
Able to switch from right wing to a position at the top of the tree at the click of Sir Alex Ferguson’s fingers, the season began poorly after the now-40-year-old – widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time – picked up a red card in a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth.
But, upon his return, it didn’t take long for the blistering wide man to show the world what he was capable of. In the Premier League, he notched 31 goals and seven assists as Ferguson and his entourage won the title, two points ahead of second-placed Chelsea.
Ronaldo, who signed for the Old Trafford outfit in the summer of 2003, was also a goal threat at Europe’s top table, the Champions League, having notched nine goal involvements (eight goals + one assist) in 11 appearances. He also scored in the final against Chelsea.
Barring their quarter-final second leg against AS Roma, he played every minute of his side’s knockout stages and, although he missed his penalty in the final, his influence throughout cannot be forgotten - especially as he scored in regulation time against the Blues.
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Although Manchester United’s FA Cup run came to a lamentable end in the sixth round – a 1-0 loss to Portsmouth – Ronaldo could hold his head high. He scored once against Aston Villa in the third round and twice in the following round against Tottenham.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2007/08 Campaign
Competition
Premier League
Champions League
FA Cup
Community Shield
Total
Mohamed Salah’s 2024/25 Campaign
The Liverpool man has become a serial record-breaker
Let’s get something straight. We are fully aware that Salah’s 2024/25 season is yet to finish – and his already-insane tally of goals and assists is set to rise even further come May when Arne Slot’s maiden season in charge comes to an end.
Liverpool, until very recently, were firing on all fronts and had Salah’s fruitful nature in front of goal to thank given the rest of the club’s attacking options – including Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota – are producing very little in the final third.
In terms of the Premier League, the Reds look destined to add a second to their trophy cabinet with Arsenal, albeit mathematically possible, ever so unlikely to close the gap. And Salah’s goal tally has been, well, incredible.
Not only has he notched 27 goals in 29 appearances, but his haul of 17 assists also highlights his influence in Slot’s first season at the helm – but it’s in other competitions where the Merseyside club’s struggles have shone through.
The Egyptian King, who is commonly admired as one of the greatest African players in football history, notched three goals and four assists in nine Champions League outings but was unable to prevent the inevitability of Paris Saint-Germain.
It's in finals where the former AS Roma ace struggles. In the lead up to Liverpool’s 2-1 loss in the League Cup final to Newcastle United, he was typically influential – especially with his tally of a goal and assist apiece in the semi-finals.
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Against the Magpies, however, Salah failed to pull up trees - and it has slightly shadowed over what could have been a fantastic first season of the post-Jurgen Klopp era. Regardless, as of March 2025, he's plundered an impressive 32 goals and 22 assists.
Mohamed Salah’s 2024/25 Campaign
Competition
Premier League
Champions League
League Cup
Total
A Conclusion of Sorts
Statistics aside, Ronaldo takes the cake
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You know what they say: goalscoring is an art so tricky that only the greatest are able to master it – and it's not unfair to say that Ronaldo and Salah have both been able to do that. But, most importanty, who enjoyed the more impressive campaign?
Although Salah is creeping up on Ronaldo's goal record (32 vs 42), his assist haul is much, much better – but can that be attributed to the system that he's playing? On the right flank, Salah is Liverpool's go-to man, while Ronaldo was playing alongside some big-game players.
Statistics aside, the record-setting Portugal international won the Ballon d'Or and, arguably, he was more fun to watch. Taking everything into consideration, the Manchester United deity takes it on this occasion. But that's not to say that it wasn't close between the pair.
All statistics per Transfermarkt - correct as of 24/03/2025