Alan Shearer has backed Mohamed Salah to return to his best for Liverpool in the potential title decider against Manchester City.
Salah has staked a claim to be the best player in the world this season after scoring 28 goals in all competitions and providing 10 assists. But the Liverpool forward has not scored in his last four three appearances, leading to questions over his form.
However, Shearer believes the importance of the clash against City may coax the Egyptian back to his mesmeric best. The Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer highlighted Salah's goal in the reverse fixture at Anfield in October as a leading example, where he slalomed between several opposition players before firing the ball into the far corner.
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“You want the big players to perform in the biggest of games, and that was,” ex-Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United striker Shearer told Premier League Productions, when discussing that goal at Anfield. “For someone to show that brilliance and that skill. I mean that ability is just incredible. The way he goes left and right hand pulled it off the way he did.
“Do not be surprised if he was to do something similar and find the back of the net on Sunday because the best players turn up in the biggest and best games. I know he hasn’t scored as many of late, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he was on the scoresheet on Sunday.”
Liverpool are just a point behind City in the table, while Salah has scored five times for the Reds in nine league games against Pep Guardiola’s side. Despite reports surrounding the player’s contract talks and current form, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was unfazed by the headlines when he spoke at his press conference on Friday.
"I didn't know about stories about him," said Klopp . "I thought it was intensity, 120 minutes six times or whatever, not the stories that were written. I don't even know what they were.
"Yes, big game experience helps. Definitely. It's not the only important thing you consider when you make a line-up but it's one of them."
