Alan Pardew couldn’t believe what he was hearing when listening to Troy Deeney’s claim on talkSPORT that Mohamed Salah isn’t world class.
Deeney shocked fans with his comments suggesting the two-time PFA Players’ Player of the Year isn’t world class, adding that Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr is better to watch.
The former Watford striker said: “I think Mohamed Salah is excellent, he’s a pivotal part for Liverpool and they should never have let it [his expiring contract] get to this situation.
“But I understand that there’s a financial structure around what they want to try and keep to.
“My argument has always been that I just don’t think he’s world class.
“But world class is just a different opinion, what I think of world class is would I want my kids to play like that player? That’s what I think is world class.
“If I was asking my kids who want to be forwards, I would be saying I would like them to look at what Vinicius Jr does as opposed to Mohamed Salah.
“His goals that he [Salah] scores, he scores an unbelievable amount of goals, he’s highly effective, but that’s just my opinion.
“He’s probably going to turn around and say, ‘Who the f*** is Troy?,’ and fair play to him, but that’s my opinion.”
Salah is a certified club legend at Liverpool having joined them in 2017.
He played a key contribution in their Premier League and Champions League success under Jurgen Klopp with Liverpool also winning an FA Cup, two Carabao Cups, a Super Cup and Club World Cup while he’s been there.
However, it’s Salah’s output in a Liverpool shirt which underlines his greatness more with the Egypt forward currently third in Liverpool’s all-time goalscoring list with 221 goals to his name.
He also boasts three Premier League Golden Boots to his name having got 165 goals and 75 assists in 275 matches.
And while Salah may not play as elegantly as some of his peers it’s his efficiency that means he has to be considered world-class, according to Pardew.
When asked if he felt Salah is world-class, former West Ham, Newcastle and Crystal Palace manager Pardew told talkSPORT: “Yes. Numbers. If you look at his numbers, you’d have to say he is.
“And, you know, when you look at the international team that he’s playing for, unfortunately, a little bit like Ian Rush when he was at Wales, hasn’t really got the platform to do it at world level with his country.
“You know, it’s all good having an opinion, but if you’re going to have an opinion, back it up with some stats or some facts or some kind of foundation.
“And I don’t know where Troy’s coming from with a foundation, because Vinicius, obviously, got more tricks and is a little bit more flamboyant.
“Maybe that’s what he was aiming his conversation at more than Mo. Mo is no frills.
“There’s no frills. It’s efficiency that he’s about.”
Salah will next get the chance to prove he is world class when Liverpool take on Southampton at 2pm on Sunday.
