MOHAMED SALAH MAY have scored 43 goals in a stunning season at Liverpool, but Roy Keane says he has “to do a bit more” in order to join Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in Ballon d’Or contention.
The Egypt international has been a revelation at Anfield following a £36.9 million move from Roma in the summer of 2017.
His efforts have helped Liverpool to the brink of a top-four finish in the Premier League and a place in the Champions League — with a talismanic performance in the first leg of a semi-final clash with his former employers from the Italian capital helping to establish a commanding 5-2 lead in Europe.
Salah is now drawing comparisons with the very best players on the planet, such as eternal Barcelona and Real Madrid rivals Messi and Ronaldo. But a man who played alongside the Blancos’ iconic forward at Manchester United feels a star turn dominating the headlines at present has one crucial issue to address before he can be considered truly elite.
Former Red Devils midfielder Keane told ITV Sport: “I always look at the strikers playing well and he has been compared to Ronaldo and Messi. I think you still have to end up with one or two trophies with your club at the end of the season.
“Part of my make-up when I played with players was if my strikers are scoring 25-30 goals like Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, we have to win trophies.
“Liverpool haven’t done that yet. If they end up winning the Champions League and he scores in the final, then start giving out the prizes. He still has to do a bit more for me and that is getting his hands on a trophy at club level.”
Salah should get a shot at major silverware this season after seeing Liverpool take a giant step forward in the Champions League.
Tickets to a showpiece event in Kiev on 26 May appear all-but secured, with Keane conceding that Roma have little chance of replicating the heroics which saw them overturn a three-goal deficit against Barcelona at the quarter-final stage.
He added: “I can’t see it on that performance. Roma will be better at home but Liverpool tore them to shreds. They could have scored 10. Pretty straightforward tactics, get the ball forward early and let the attackers do the rest.
“I thought they were outstanding; intensity, pace, quality and for me there is no way back for Roma.”
Hon tipp
4 goals inside the opening 8 minutes of an All-Ireland final has to be some kind of record
@Johnny 5: and not one change made at the back must be another one
@domas1507: tough to make any changes in that short space of time. Absolute blitz .
As per usual Denis Ring is like a rabbit caught in the headlights- Goalkeeper appalling yet again- no change in the back line typical Cork GAA Jobs for the boys
@Martin Brennan: jesus lad you cant blame the poor goalie for any of those goals
@Michael McGrath: his pucks out were so fast after each goal no chance to slow the play down and let fellas regroup
@Michael McGrath: his pucks out were so fast after each goal no chance to slow the play down and let fellas regroup. 4th goal should have been saved
To say that tipp forward line is ruthless would be an understatement
No. 8 for cork is a p€€xk for that dive.
@Macus Mc Mahon: embarrassing and this coming from a Cork man
Looks like game over after 16 mins….
How no changes were made tells you all you need to know about Ring
@Ailín Ó Céileachair: The only consolation is the auld lads in the County Board can’t give the senior job to him and hopefully not Kingston he had his chances and failed
@Martin Brennan: Jesus Martin your some craic altogether
Gwan Cork
The Corkness is dead long live the Cork GAA county board auld lads
Now Cork hurling supporters do ye still think yer u20 team is by far the best in the country or do ye stand corrected
Cork hurling is a disgrace Full of fancy hurlers disgraceful management afraid their own shadows they think they are playing singles tennis no concept of team.Denis Ring has to be sacked immediately he’s put out a team bereft of a plan and 4 goals in 8 minutes is unforgivable
Well Done Tipp fabulous team no place for individuals on that team and a coach who knows what he’s doing
That no 8 for Cork is a disgrace,he should be ashamed of himself,just when the media say cork have lost their edge,this clown fegins injury ,diving like hes on 100 k a week…
That fullback line will give away 10 goals if tipp really want them
if this team is the future of Cork Hurling it will be 40 Years of waiting- The guys on the sideline have no experience of playing at that level and their failure to respond was living proof. This is a good Tipp team but the Cork players dropped their heads which is unforgivable.
Last attack tells everyone about what’s wrong with Cork hurling they play as individuals and hide when the heat comes on