Tag: Premier

Who is the greatest Premier League player of all-time? Alan Shearer has the most goals, Ryan Giggs 13 titles and the Ballon d’Or was won by Cristiano Ronaldo and Rodri.

But nearly every poll puts Thierry Henry at number one and I can see why. He could beat you with either skill or raw pace. At Liverpool, we’d double up to stop him, and still fail.

For two decades, King Henry has sat on the throne unopposed despite other exceptional talents. However, 2025 could be a watershed year. If Mo Salah achieves what I think he will, he’ll overtake even Thierry.

In the next few months, Salah could win his second Premier League and Champions League, a fourth Golden Boot equalling the record held by Alan Shearer and Henry, and move fourth in the all-time scorers list behind Shearer, Harry Kane and Rooney. This from a winger who didn’t join Liverpool until he was 25.

He is also top in the league this season for assists and should he sign a new contract at Liverpool, I can’t see it not happening, it will take his time in England past a decade.

It’s not only facts and figures that makes Salah not just special, but unique. He is achieving all this from a wide position. It’s not as if he is a centre-forward where the team prepares its attack specifically for him.

Henry was a centre-forward who drifted left. Salah is the opposite. He starts right and and comes inside when opportunities arise.

He scores the amount of goals he does because his positional play is exceptional. He makes runs to receive the ball close enough to goal. Once there, he makes quick decisions before defenders can react. Though he prefers his left, he can chop onto his right.

His first touch to set up the finish is exceptional – it’s pure talent. Added to that, he has a remarkable desire. The more he scores, the more he wants to.

Salah has been Liverpool’s talisman in them reaching two other Champions League finals and twice being runner-up in the league with a points tally that would have seen them champions in any other year.

Henry would be the first to acknowledge he had world-class players like Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp at Arsenal who helped him. Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo had each other besides Paul Scholes for Manchester United.

Salah has had some brilliant team-mates but not at that level. Imagine what he could have done with if Scholes and Bergkamp as partners.

Consistency is also a factor in greatness. The Egyptian’s durability is remarkable and he’s looking in better condition than ever.

He turns 33 in June, an age when clubs are normally reluctant to offer long-term deals, but I can’t see why Liverpool wouldn’t give him three more years as the best-paid player at the club.

It’s a risk worth taking for the club when you factor everything in and Salah has earned any special treatment. He’s not going to fall off a cliff in the next year or two. As long as he’s not demanding to double his money – which I don’t think is the case – a deal should be done.

All players want to be loved and Salah is adored on Merseyside. He seems someone who places great importance on his family being settled and happy.

His legacy is already assured but if stays for the majority of the decade, even more records will come tumbling, even the ones which have looked unobtainable like Shearer’s Premier League goals record or Ian Rush’s at Liverpool. Salah has this burning desire to go down in the history books.

His body language has been excellent this season, Arne Slot has to take part of the credit. His star man is smiling and encouraging team-mates. He is definitely one of the main leaders in the Liverpool team.

Beyond the goals, his peripheral vision to find team-mates is better than ever. He’s a proper team man besides being an exceptional individual. At 32, Salah is the full package, in the form of his life.

I often suffered at the hands of Thierry. He scored a brilliant hat-trick against us at Liverpool during Arsenal’s Invincibles season and even when I moved to Charlton, he produced this ridiculous back-heel goal.

I didn’t think we’d ever see his like again. By the end of this coming year, I believe Mo will be wearing the crown.

How the FA Cup can regain some glory 

The FA Cup has lost traditional elements like replays and saving Wembley for the final, but they could reclaim some glory by scrapping VAR. 

It is here to stay in the Premier League but the thrilling 4-3 Carabao Cup game between Tottenham and Manchester United was a breath of fresh air because it didn’t have VAR double-checking every incident. 

The best thing about football is the euphoric moments when a goal goes in. It’s truer in the FA Cup. Why do we want to curtail those celebrations for a visit to Stockley Park?

My wish for 2025 

My football wish for the new year is for fewer robotic players. It makes me angry to see them stuck to one idea rather than thinking for themselves. 

I’ve seen teams trailing with two minutes to go trying to keep possession instead of chasing an equaliser. It’s a lack of game management you wouldn’t want in an under 15s game. 

Managers must get frustrated. They want players to understand that no matter how well-drilled they are, there are times in a game situation to slow things down, and a time to take risks. 

Everton were a breath of fresh air against Manchester City. Jordan Pickford would play into James Tarkowski if the chance was there. 

But if he was being closed down, he was happy to play longer rather than risk a turnover. It’s common sense lacking in too many teams. 

Maybe academy coaches should make it clear that learning a pattern of play doesn’t mean abdicating responsibility when you need to be flexible.

Where Tuchel should go first

Thomas Tuchel officially starts as England manager on January 1 and has a full programme of games to choose from next weekend.

Given our lack of balance down the left at the Euros, he might take an early look at Newcastle’s combination on that side of Lewis Hall and Anthony Gordon. 

Gordon is a natural winger which Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Morgan Rogers aren’t. 

Hall is technically good, as you’d expect from a Chelsea academy graduate. 

Tuchel will get around the grounds in the coming weeks but for starters I hope to see him at the game between Tottenham and Newcastle next Saturday lunchtime!