What’s the story?
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that while Mohamed Salah shares a number of similarities with Barcelona maestro Lionel Messi, the Liverpool forward is a little too “obsessed with finishing himself.”
In case you didn’t know…
Salah has been quite the revelation since joining Liverpool from Roma in 2017, having transformed himself from a mere outcast at Chelsea to a trophy-winning world-class forward under Jurgen Klopp.
The Egyptian lifted his second Premier League Golden Boot at the end of the previous season, a prize which he shared with teammate Sadio Mane and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The 27-year-old forward has lately been accused of having a selfish ‘streak’, with Mane’s public display of anger during the Reds’ game against Burnley the highlight of the plot.
Mane was less than amused when Salah refused to pass to him before he was taken off during the 3-0 win. The Senegalese star was seen visibly frustrated at his teammate as he remained animated even when he sat on the substitutes’ bench.
The heart of the matter
Wenger has acknowledged Salah’s abilities in a recent interview and believes the Egyptian has similarities to Messi. However, the Frenchman believes the Liverpool star should grow out of his obsession with finishing before being considered on the same level with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Speaking to beIN Sports, the former Arsenal boss said,
“He [Salah] has similarities with Messi, he must find the consistency of Messi.
“I find he’s as good a finisher but Messi has the complete thing, he gives the final ball as well. Salah is a bit obsessed with finishing himself.
“That’s a dimension he’ll get certainly, when he grows a little bit older, to find the moment when you have to give the ball and when you have to finish. But I like him very much, he has huge potential. Mane as well.”
What’s next?
Salah will likely feature for Liverpool when they face Newcastle United in the Premier League after the ongoing international break on September 14th.
[Sportskeeda]
