Mohamed Salah produced another blitz of goals on Saturday in his most devastating performance yet for Liverpool.
With four goals against Watford at Anfield, the Egyptian rose to the top of the Premier League goalscorers’ table. With 30 goals in 43 appearances, he can now also boast being Europe’s top scorer.
It was superb performance on Saturday, which saw him also provide an assist to Roberto Firmino in a 5-0 Premier League victory over Watford.
It took Liverpool up to third place between Manchester United and Tottenham, who on Saturday were securing their passages to the FA Cup semifinals.
Salah became Liverpool's record signing when he joined from Roma for 42 million euros (then $47 million) in the offseason.
That's looking like a bargain now with him outscoring every player in Europe's top five leagues. Even Barcelona's Lionel Messi.
"I don't think Mo or anybody else wants to be compared with Lionel Messi," Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said.
"He is the one who has been doing what he's been doing for what feels like 20 years or so. The last player I know who had the same influence on a team performance was Diego Maradona."
Salah exchanged passes with Sadio Mane before chasing down the ball in the penalty area to embark on a jinking run that ended with Liverpool's opener in the 4th minute. The second, just before halftime, was less audacious, with Salah in the right place to meet Andrew Robertson's cross with a tap-in.
Salah turned provider at the start of the second half with a near-post cross back-heeled into the net by Firmino. The match ball was secured by Salah in the 77th minute, aiming a low shot inside the far post after being fed by Mane.
The Egypt forward became the first Liverpool player since Luis Suarez in 2013 to score four in a game when he struck with five minutes remaining.
