Cesc Fabregas has claimed that Liverpool have a ‘very special talent’ in their squad right now.
The Reds are having a really good season. With half of the campaign now played, the possibility of a quadruple is still technically on the cards.
Top of the Premier League, through in Europe and the FA Cup and with half-a-foot in the Carabao Cup final, Liverpool are looking good.
Key to it all has been – as ever – Mohamed Salah. With Salah now away at AFCON though, the Reds are having to make do without him for a while. Asked by the Planet Premier League podcast how Liverpool will cope without their Egyptian King, Fabregas admitted that he wasn’t exactly sure.
“I don’t know,” admitted the Spaniard. “I cannot remember a game without seeing Salah in the starting eleven, seriously. The last one I can remember is against Barcelona where they had to do that miracle and they did. Sometimes I was talking with a physio and a friend of mine, even when Sadio was there and Firmino was there, it felt like every single game of the season they are playing. I was like ‘how is that even possible?’
“I’ve always admired that about Mo, he’s a very special talent. I played with him at Chelsea for six months. He’s a top guy as well, he has a good mentality. I’m happy for him because he’s a very, very hard worker. He believed in his talent, he went away, found his way and now he’s showing everyone how good he is.”
Fabregas hails ‘special talent’ Salah
Having played alongside Salah, Fabregas is well placed to comment on his quality. He may not have shown his best while the two were teammates at Chelsea, but the World Cup winner has still seen Mo up close.
There is genuine warmth in his words about the Egyptian as well. Having seen him struggle at Stamford Bridge, Fabregas is obviously delighted for Mo.
And it’s worth commenting on what the 36-year-old says about Salah’s quite ridiculous fitness record, too.
Plenty has been said and written about the 31-year-old ever since he arrived at Liverpool. Praise for his goal-scoring, praise for his skill, praise for his speed.
But one thing that is perhaps still underrated about Salah is his constant availability. This could of course change at any moment, but over the past six-and-a-half years, Mo has barely missed a game for Liverpool.
There aren’t many outfield players in world football who have played as much as he has in that time period, let alone to the level Salah has regularly hit.
So, while his goal-scoring and creating may have been the ‘special’ stuff Fabregas was referring to, we think his relentless ability to stay fit is pretty unique, too.
Liverpool have been finding a way without their No.11 so far. But my word, we can’t wait for him to return.
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