It’s safe to say that Dirk Kuyt is a massive fan of Mohamed Salah.
In the 2010/11 season, Kuyt finished as Liverpool’s top scorer with 15 goals in all competitions but, remarkably, that tally wouldn’t even see him crack the Reds’ top three goalscorers this term… And there are still several games left to play.
Salah has earned plenty of plaudits throughout his debut campaign under Jurgen Klopp and it’s been his ability to find the net that has seen him attain hero status at Anfield.
But there is much more to Salah’s game than his incredible finishing, as highlighted by Kuyt following Liverpool’s 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Kuyt took to Twitter to remind everyone that Salah’s breathless back-tracking should also be applauded because it is his desire to give everything for the Reds cause that epitomises Klopp’s footballing philosophy.
Scoring goals for fun every match, but this defensive run was vital for the 3-0 score last night. What a game and what a player @22mosalah. Champions league nights at Anfield, always special! Footage: @SkySports #ChampionsLeague #SkySports pic.twitter.com/ZmC5kM7r5y
— Dirk Kuyt (@Kuyt) April 5, 2018
Over his six seasons on Merseyside, Kuyt endeared himself to Liverpool supporters with his tireless workrate and if any former player was going to notice the lung-busting passion displayed in the above defensive run, it was going to be the Dutchman.
Salah limped out of Wednesday’s game with what appeared to be a groin injury, immediately raising doubts over whether he would be fit enough to return for Saturday’s Merseyside derby or next week’s second leg, but Klopp suggested that the Egypt international was confident that he would be available for the upcoming pair of crucial games.
“I don’t know in the moment,” Klopp said. “He came to the sideline and said he felt something. He said: ‘I will be fine’.
“But now we have to wait for the real diagnosis.”
