Mo Salah provides Liverpool with certainty despite continued contract wait

Mo Salah scored twice against Bournemouth to extend Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League and helped his side overcome an edgy start at the Vitality stadium to claim three points

For half an hour, even Virgil van Dijk, the coolest defender to wear a Liverpool jersey since Alan Hansen, looked a touch flustered.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was having a torrid time, Bournemouth were buzzing and only the frame of Alisson’s goal kept the Premier League leaders on level terms with Andoni Iraola’s side. But Liverpool did what champions-elect do. Dug in, simplified things, and chiselled out the type of victory that seals titles.

Sure, they rode their luck at times, but this is a team that passes almost every serious examination with hugely impressive efficiency. This is a team that might get occasionally ruffled but never panics. This is a team that has a distinct physical robustness.

And, of course, this is a team that has Mohamed Salah. For now, at least.

The idea that Liverpool should simply pay whatever Salah wants to stay and, in terms of length, give him the type of contract that would not normally be handed to a player who will be 33 when his current agreement ends is far too simplistic.

Yes, Salah LOOKS as though he could operate at his highest level for several seasons to come, but that is not certain. What is certain, though, is that there has not been a more consistently effective attacking player in club football for a long time.

His 20th Premier League goal of the season came from the penalty spot after Lewis Cook had, according to referee Darren England and VAR John Brooks tripped Cody Gakpo after that slightly edgy Liverpool start. But his 21st was a trademark curling beauty.

He was a regular threat and, just as importantly, was a great outlet when Liverpool found themselves under pressure. And that was relatively often.

This is a Bournemouth side that attacks with pace and width, which is not a cocktail to Alexander-Arnold’s taste. And this was the sort of defensive performance from the England full-back that you would think might give Real Madrid serious reservations.

But there are not too many teams in La Liga who would give Alexander-Arnold this sort of test. That is why Iraola can be justifiably proud of his players’ performance against a team that is now nine points clear at the top of the table.

The penalty concession was soft and Alisson was again thankful for his post before Salah doubled his and Liverpool’s tally. With a couple of defenders blocking his vision, Salah simply persuaded a strike to smuggle itself inside Kepa’s right-hand post.

His 178 goals makes him sixth on the all-time list of Premier League scorers and it is that consistency that is remarkable. That is five seasons with 20-plus goals for Salah, a feat only bettered by Alan Shearer (seven) and Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane (six) and matched by Thierry Henry (five).

But never mind the two goals, in this game Salah made the most passes in the opposition third, had the most touches in the opposition box and created the most chances. As a game-winner, Salah is peerless in the Premier League – and he has been for some time.

And perhaps Arne Slot wanted to be sure his main man got the ovation he deserved when he withdrew Salah a few minutes from time. Or perhaps it was a minor energy-saving proc.edure, with a Carabao Cup semi-final second leg coming up.

Against Spurs, Liverpool need to overturn a one-goal deficit to reach Wembley and the main reason they are favourites to do just that is because they have Salah in their ranks. And one of the main reasons they are threatening to win this Premier League race with something to spare is because they have Salah in their ranks.

A lot of factors go into a title victory, an awful lot. But there is not one more important than having a player who can produce attacking brilliance week in, week out.

In Salah, Liverpool have that player.

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