How stepping out of ‘comfort zone’ makes Salah so good

WHAT HAPPENED? Salah is into his sixth season at Anfield, with 170 goals recorded through 275 appearances since completing a transfer from Roma in 2017. Salah committed to a new contract with Liverpool over the summer, taking him through to 2025, and Lijnders believes the talismanic 30-year-old will remain a “leader” on Merseyside as he always strives for continuous improvement.

WHAT THEY SAID: Lijnders has told The National News of Salah: “He is the guy who goes out of his comfort zone. Nothing good happens in the comfort zone and he goes out of it all the time. He left Egypt, it wasn’t easy, a lot of setbacks, and with time and with his character and with his personality, became a leader in my opinion. Not just a leader on the pitch but also a leader in the dressing room.

“He’s such an example for the world, how the world could look and how he deals with situations. We’re really proud that he has signed with us again, that he’s with us, that he’s one of our leaders. I always look at him, if he trains how he trains, I always see him training so well.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Salah did endure a slow start to the 2022-23 campaign, alongside many of his club colleagues, but had netted 11 times through his last 13 appearances heading into the World Cup break – with 14 efforts recorded for the season across all competitions.

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WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL? Jurgen Klopp’s side will be back in competitive action on December 22 when facing Manchester City in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, before going on to tackle Aston Villa in the Premier League on Boxing Day.