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.”
