There is a legitimate case that Mohamed Salah is the Premier League's best ever player, and he could surpass Thierry Henry sooner rather than later, according to Liverpool expert David Lynch.
Salah starred in the Reds' 6-3 win against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, scoring twice and producing two assists.
The Egyptian has now found the back of the net 15 times and assisted 11 goals in the Premier League, leading the way in both categories ahead of Erling Haaland and Bukayo Saka.
Salah has undoubtedly been among the best players in world football this term, and Lynch believes that the forward should deservedly be in debates alongside Henry in regard to the Premier League's best ever player, telling Sports Mole: "I genuinely think we're getting to the point where we could be talking [about Salah as] top one if he signs for another couple of years and continues to play at this level.
"What would help [Salah's case] is - obviously Thierry Henry has got that record of 20 goals and 20 assists in a single season - Mo Salah's on 15 goals, 11 assists this season. Can he get there? Can he get close to that? Then maybe that will end the conversation.
"I really do think he's in the debate for the best Premier League player of all time. When he came in from Roma and he was described as a Chelsea reject, you just thought he was this streaky winger who might score the odd goal. I did not see this coming, did not see him getting up to [potentially] third in Liverpool's top scorers list."
Many regard Henry as the Premier League's best ever player, but Salah's continued excellence must at least elevate him into the all-time conversation.
Astonishing numbers
Salah has now scored 172 Premier League goals and is eighth in the all-time scoring charts, just three behind Henry, five behind Frank Lampard and 12 behind Sergio Aguero.
The Egyptian became the first player in the history of the division to score at least 10 goals and provide at least 10 assists in the league before Christmas, and he is currently on track to score 35 goals and get 26 assists in the top flight this season.
Lynch waxed lyrical about the attacker's output to Sports Mole, praising his ability to both finish off chances and create, saying: "[Salah's] on track to be top scorer and top playmaker again, which he's already done once before, but to do that again would be unbelievable.
"He's got to be in that conversation as an all-time Premier League great, because look at the rate he's consistently scored at. He does it in all the big games consistently in a way that [makes him] arguably the greatest Premier League big game player of all time. I don't think anyone can match him for that.
"I think aesthetically, [Henry was] probably better to watch - Salah's a bit plays in straight lines sometimes in comparison to Henry. Henry was so smooth in the way he did things. Absolutely loved watching him and he scored all these goals and got all these assists, but I think in a couple of years' time, [Salah] will be up there, and if [he] can get another [Premier League] winner's medal, it just helps to bolster his case."
Should Salah finish the campaign as top scorer then he will equal Henry's record of four Golden Boot awards, and he is already just one assist from overtaking David Beckham's total of 80.
© Imago
What level could Salah reach?
Liverpool fans have been enjoying their 2024-25 campaign under Arne Slot, with the team first in both the Champions League and Premier League tables, but there is a possibility that all three of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Salah leave for free at the end of the season given their contracts expire in the upcoming summer.
However, if Liverpool were to come to an agreement with Salah, then the attacker could break a number of records and cement himself further in the history books.
Another 15 league goals this season would take him level with Andy Cole, and if he signed for another two years at Anfield, there is no reason to think that he could not overtake second-placed Harry Kane, who has scored 213 times in the Premier League.
Lynch was keen to point out that Salah could also climb the ranks of Liverpool's highest ever goalscorers given a contract extension seems to be drawing near, telling Sports Mole: "It's encouraging - he's not coming out with his social media posts about [his contract], he's not talking about it in interviews, so we are getting closer to that, and I think it's just got to happen.
"He'd probably have one eye on catching Roger Hunt. It's not unthinkable that he could catch him, which is crazy if he'd move into second [on Liverpool's scoring charts]. I didn't see this coming and it's testament [to him that] he's freakishly good and been an absolute joy to watch in recent years.
"I don't want to be unfair on [Steven Gerrard] because he never got the privilege of playing in teams as good as Mo Salah has, so that makes it really difficult to judge, but he's got to be up there [as Liverpool's best ever player] - he's going to at least be up there as a top 10 Liverpool player of all time."
Salah is Liverpool's fourth all-time goalscorer having netted 229 goals for the club, 12 fewer than Gordon Hodgson, 56 fewer than Roger Hunt and 117 fewer than Ian Rush, who is unlikely to be caught despite the Egyptian consistently finding the back of the net.
Lewis Nolan
