'It's computer game stuff!' - Henderson on Salah's LFC goal record
Jordan Henderson has lauded Mohamed Salah’s contribution to Liverpool after the Egyptian became the third-fastest player in the club’s history to the 100-goal mark.
The No.11’s instinctive finish during the 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park earlier this month saw him reach the milestone of a century of strikes in just 159 appearances.
Indeed, only Roger Hunt and Jack Parkinson achieved the feat in quicker time than Salah; however, Henderson believes his influence on the Reds extends far beyond his goal tally.
“Mo’s numbers are jaw-dropping,” the captain wrote in his column for tonight’s official matchday programme. “He’s achieved his century in just 159 appearances – that is computer game stuff!
“I read that Mo got to this milestone in the third-quickest time in LFC history. The other two Liverpool players who got to a century quicker are Roger Hunt and Jack Parkinson – and we are going back quite a long time. It just emphasises the enormity of his contribution.
“I shouldn’t be surprised, but it yet again underlines just how blessed we all are to be working with him, or be a supporter of this club at the time he is here with us.
“Not for one minute do I think Mo is taken for granted; he 100 per cent isn’t by anyone associated with our club at least. But I do think the level of his achievement maybe deserves a little more recognition in the game.
“It’s possible that the numbers he hit in his first season with us – 40-plus goals – means everything else since has been measured by an unfair and unrealistic yardstick.
“As someone privileged to play alongside him, I can tell you I think he is so much better now than during that first season. I also think his contribution now is more important than in that first season. As amazing as he was, he has only got better and better.
“If you look at how we have evolved as a team since 2017-18, the contribution by Mo to that has been as big as anyone’s. He works so hard for the team, sacrifices for the team. All of us on the pitch benefit from that.
“It does feel – rightly or wrongly – that Mo is only really praised when he scores goals, and that for me is missing so much of the all-round contribution he makes.
“I can’t remember where I heard it or who from, but I remember people saying that in his prime Ian Rush was Liverpool’s best defender. And this is because of the work he did by setting the tone with his work-rate from the front.
“We are so fortunate to have this quality in all our front players. Sadio, Bobby, Taki, Diogo, Divock, Shaq and so on… To play in our forward line you have to be about far more than just goals and assists. Mo epitomises the best of that and yet still gets the numbers he does.
“Personally speaking, I hope the goal at Goodison Park was Mo reaching his first hundred for Liverpool and there are so many more to come. I’m sure that will be the case. But in the meantime, I can’t begin to tell you how much we all appreciate him.”
