Mohamed Salah says ending Liverpool's title drought more important than individual records

By Michael Kelleher

Wednesday 27 February 2019 19:36, UK

Mohamed Salah insists ending Liverpool's 29-year title drought means more to him than any individual accolades.

The Egyptian has the opportunity to become the fastest player in Premier League history to score 50 goals, if he can find the net in his 64th appearance for the club against Watford on Wednesday, or his 65th appearance, which is likely to come in Sunday's Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park, live on Sky Sports.

The current record is held by the Premier League's all-time leading goalscorer, Alan Shearer, who reached the milestone in 66 games.

Salah would like to break that record, but is more focused on ensuring Liverpool remain at the top of the table at the end of a difficult eight days which will have seen them play three times, including two away against their two biggest traditional rivals, Manchester United and Everton.

Salah told Liverpool's official match-day programme: "It would be nice to score number 50, number 51 and 52! I always push myself to score more goals and to perform better.

"Of course records are nice but for me the Premier League is now the most important thing.

"It is a very big week. There are three games in eight days and if we can do well in them and still be top of the table that's big for us.

"After that there will only be nine games left and we will have time to recover for them and time to think about that."

Salah has flourished under Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp since his £39.5m move from Roma in the summer of 2017.

He won the Premier League's Golden Boot in his debut season at Anfield, scoring 32 goals.

Klopp has deployed him more centrally at times this season, and he is again top of the goal-scoring charts, alongside Sergio Aguero with 17 goals, but he still sees himself as a winger rather than a traditional striker.

"I have played at centre-forward a lot this season but I still also play as a winger and have scored many goals as a winger," he said.

"I don't like to brand myself a No 9 because the way I play, it's never like I hold the ball and am always physically strong.

"As a striker I have to drop deep to get the ball and go past the players so even when I play as a nine, my position is a different type of game to many centre-forwards.

"When I play No 9 I drop deep to play as a No 10 too, to keep the ball and dribble.

"I am always trying to help the team score goals and I am still one of the top scorers in the Premier League so I am happy about that."