Salah not best player at Liverpool, BBC pundit claims

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By Martin Graham | 3rd May 2022

BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks believes Mohamed Salah is not the best player at Liverpool despite the Egyptian’s exploits at the club.

Salah was recently awarded the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) prize for the best player in the league for the season. The forward has been leading Liverpool’s charge to the quadruple this season, contributing to 44 goals in 45 total appearances (35 in 32 in the league).

Salah, however, drew blanks in Liverpool’s latest match against Newcastle United. Naby Keita came to the rescue of the Reds to seal all three points and take it with them away from a tough St James Park.

Crooks, speaking in the BBC studio after the match, hailed Keita and Virgil Van Dijk, claiming that the defender deserves the award more than Salah did. With Van Dijk in the heart of the Liverpool defence and pairing with Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez, Liverpool have kept 21 cleans sheets this season.

Crooks told BBC Sport: “Another clean sheet and another enjoyable day at the office for Virgil Van Dijk. I thought this was an extraordinary performance by Liverpool.

“Having played Villareal in the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night, travelling to Newcastle for a 12:30pm kick-off at St James’ Park three days later and coming away with a victory – bearing in mind the form Newcastle have been in – was outstanding.

“As for Van Dijk, you can read in ‘Crooks of the Matter’ why I think the Football Writers’ Association have selected the wrong Liverpool player for their prestigious Footballer of the Year award.”

Liverpool offer contract extension to James Milner amidst midfielder retirement rumours

Liverpool have offered veteran midfielder James Milner an extension on his current contract for one more year.

Milner joined the Reds from Manchester City in 2015 and has served them in many positions ever since. The ultimate utility man, Milner has been part of Liverpool’s evolution into a force in English and European football under Jürgen Klopp.

He was expected to depart Anfield in the summer when his contract runs up. However, the Reds are looking to keep the Leeds United academy product for one more season and have offered him a one-year extension.

This would be the second extension at Anfield in two years for the veteran who has represented England 61 times in his career. He signed an extension in August 2020 to keep him until June 2022 and is now set to extend his relationship with Liverpool, whose fans have come to love and appreciate their silent leader.

The Daily Telegraph reports reported that Milner is certain to sign the extension.