Ben Foster disagrees with what everybody has been saying about Mohamed Salah recently

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Former England goalkeeper Ben Foster has shared who he thinks is Liverpool’s most important player.

The Reds have a number of top, top level players at the club right now. Jamie Carragher recently identified four in particular as being Jurgen Klopp’s so-called ‘untouchables.’

In truth, any one of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker or Trent Alexander-Arnold could lay claim to being Liverpool’s key man. But ask a ‘Family Fortune’ style survey and the most likely answer would probably be the man who gets the goals; Salah.

However, speaking on his Cycling GK podcast, Foster says that he disagrees with that thinking. According to the 40-year-old, Mo is more likely third on the list, behind Alisson and more prominently – Van Dijk.

“I think he’s [Van Dijk] the reason why Liverpool are doing what they’re doing,” Foster says, after admitting Virgil to his Premier League Team of the Season so far.

“For me, everybody says Mo Salah is the most important player for Liverpool and I kind of disagree with that. For me, you miss a Van Dijk or an Alisson, Liverpool aren’t the same team. I think the drop-off is huge, massively, It’s the Van Dijk of two, three years ago.”

Van Dijk Liverpool’s key man

From our point of view, exactly who is Liverpool’s key player will become clearer over the next few weeks.

With Salah away at AFCON, the Reds will get a view into just how well they can cope without him.

Things got off to a brilliant start in that regard on Sunday. A 2-0 win away to Arsenal was actually navigated without either Salah or Van Dijk, which bodes well for Alisson and Trent’s chances of winning this one.

Alexander-Arnold was especially good against the Gunners. Taking the captain’s armband from Virgil, the Scouser was a true leader out on the pitch.

His ability to pick teams apart in an instant with his passing is something Liverpool simply can’t replace when he isn’t there.

Salah’s goal-scoring is obviously difficult to paper over when it isn’t there, too. But Klopp does have other players who can both score and assist within his squad.

In terms of Alisson, you simply can’t overstate his importance. The Brazilian wins points for Liverpool every season and without him, they’d be much worse off there’s no doubt about that. There are other good goalkeepers out there though, even if there would be a big drop-off.

And for Virgil, well, we actually have to say that we agree with Foster. The Dutchman has been Liverpool’s standout player this season so far and therefore takes this title for the time being. Hopefully he’s over his illness to be back out there against Fulham tomorrow. We need him.