Paul Merson admits he feels ‘sorry’ for Mohamed Salah as the Liverpool winger does not get the credit he should like Wayne Rooney endured while at Manchester United.
The 31-year-old continually captivates Merson with his achievements at Anfield having given Liverpool an endless goal threat. Yet the Arsenal icon feels Salah remains underrated beyond Merseyside for what he has produced and what he continues to produce week-in, week-out.
Salah is pushing Manchester City striker Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot battle through 16 Premier League games this season. He trails the Norwegian machine’s 14 in 15 appearances with 11 in 16. But Salah has also laid on seven assists during his 1,384 minutes on the pitch.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has won three Premier League Golden Boots
No Premier League player has been involved in as many goals as Haaland and Salah so far in 2023/24 with 18 contributions each. While Salah has also given Liverpool three goals and an assist across five Europa League ties of which the 93-cap Egypt skipper only started in two.
His efforts across all competitions this season have taken Salah to 200 goals and 87 assists in 327 Liverpool appearances. The winger’s goals were enough to win the Premier League’s Golden Boot in 2017/18 (32), 2018/19 (22) and 2021/22 (23) despite Salah playing out wide.
Paul Merson still thinks Mohamed Salah is underrated outside of Anfield
Yet no matter how many goals Salah scores and creates with Liverpool, Merson still feels the forward is underrated. He also likens the one-time Premier League and one-time Champions League winner with how Rooney was underrated throughout his Manchester United career.
“In a way, I feel sorry for Salah,” Merson has told Sky Sports. “I really don’t think he gets the credit he deserves for what he’s done and is doing at Liverpool.
“He’s similar to Wayne Rooney, for me, in that regard. He was another who didn’t get the credit he deserved. Salah puts up figures that blow everyone away. 200 goals for Liverpool already, playing on the right wing? It’s extraordinary.”
Rooney enjoyed an illustrious career at Old Trafford after helping Manchester United to win five Premier League, a Champions League, one Europa League, an FA Cup and four EFL Cup titles. He was also England’s all-time top scorer with 53 goals in 120 caps before Harry Kane.
But Rooney was hardly recognised for his gifted talents as the striker struggled to shine on a global stage for England. Despite his achievements in front of the goal, the Everton product only scored once through 11 career World Cup appearances of which he started in nine ties.
