Mohamed Salah has never been in the background at Liverpool - his countless key contributions have made sure of that.
With all the talk in the Premier League suddenly surrounding Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, Salah, of course, had to steal the limelight when the two met at Anfield in October.
City were widely expected to beat a Liverpool side well off the pace this season, but the majestic Salah wasn't ready to allow that to happen. Now, with the World Cup taking centre stage, he will be plotting his way back to the top once the Premier League restarts.
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With Liverpool not being in the rhythm the Premier League has been used to in recent history, Salah's form in front of goal has suffered.
He has netted six times in 14 top-flight appearances this season. To put that into perspective, Haaland has scored three times as many in one game fewer.
But, one thing that has been highlighted is Salah's positioning earlier in the campaign. The most dangerous marksman in the league since his arrival from Roma in 2017 was being used in a wider role, as part of experimentations with how Liverpool's right flank operates.
Another factor to take into account is the adaptation of a Reds side without the irresistible Sadio Mane and the adjusting Darwin Nunez. New styles do take time.
Yet something changed after Salah stepped off the bench to fire in an astonishing six-minute hat-trick in the 7-1 Champions League at Rangers.
Since then he has scored six goals in his past eight games, including his strike against City, and including two more in the Champions League, which puts him level at the top of that competition's scoring charts with Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe.
Salah's seven goals in six group games saw Liverpool through to the knockout stages, where they will face reigning champions Real Madrid in the last 16.
It was arguably the hardest draw the Reds could have been given, but Salah will see it as a chance to perform against the best of the best, plus a chance to avenge the final defeat his side suffered to Madrid last season and in 2018.
The greatest players in the world deserve to be at the World Cup and Salah will feel that missed opportunity to showcase his talents, but there will be plenty of chances for him to do so with the Reds.
Salah will be quietly focussing on Liverpool's first game back after the break for the World Cup; the small matter of City at the Etihad in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
The Egyptian will fancy his chances against a depleted City side returning from the World Cup, before the Reds travel to Aston Villa on Boxing Day to resume their fight for a top-four spot in the Premier League.
Liverpool's win over Tottenham Hotspur in North London at the start of November was Salah at his very best and left Gary Neville raving about him on The Overlap : "He’s been one of many great performers. At the moment when he plays, he looks on a different level to the rest of his teammates.
"Now his team-mates are good, don’t get me wrong, but it is a little bit of a worry for Liverpool because he does look like an unbelievable player out there at the moment. By far the best player on the pitch.”
The break may have come at the wrong time for Salah after his double at Spurs proved he was hitting top form, but it gives him a chance to rest and recuperate when others are fighting it out in 30 degree heat in Qatar.
One thing that is for certain is that the Egyptian will be desperate for Liverpool to put their inconsistency behind them once the Reds return to action.
Cast your vote for Salah
Salah's exploits so far this calendar year have seen him nominated for the national Fans' Footballer Of The Year Award, where he's up against the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Harry Kane and Beth Mead among others.
Salah has already won the award twice previously. Now he is rested and ready for what 2023 and the second half of this season have in store. Best of luck to those trying to stop him.
Liverpool fans can vote for Salah to win the FFOFTY by clicking here or via the image below.
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