Arne Slot believes that Mohamed Salah's opportunities to win this year's balloon d'Or will be better if Liverpool wins a trophy this season.
This season, Salah is in sensational form for Liverpool, with the Egyptian who his 40th and 41st target contribution in the Premier League this season in the 2-0 win of the Reds over Manchester City on Sunday in the Reds 2-0.
Indeed, he has now scored and helped both a goal in 49 separate league games in his career in Europe's Big Five Leagues. Since Opta have this information available (from 2006-07), only eight times Ballon d'Or Winner Lionel Messi (102) and Cristiano Ronaldo (65), who have won the prestigious prize five times, did this more in those divisions.
This season, Salah also scored and helped in 11 league games, which extended the Premier League record and became the first player to do this in 11 games in the top five European competitions since Messi for Barcelona in 2014-15.
The victory of Liverpool on Pep Guardiola's side clearly brought them 11 points to the Premier League top, although Arsenal has a match in second place, while they also reached the EFL Cup final and the face of Paris Have reached Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16.
And Slot believes that Liverpool must win this period to ensure that Salah has the best possible chance of lifting the Ballon d'Or this year.
“It is mainly about the Tekkers, isn't it? It is a good thing that Mo is in the discussion, because it means he is doing well, and we are doing well, but to stay in that discussion, he should bring the same thing Performances like he has now made seven or eight months, “said Slot.
“I think that in general someone who has to win the balloon d'On, so it's a big challenge that lies for us and for him.
“What I like is that he assumes this challenge by not only scoring a big goal and a great assist against Man City, but he also wanted the team to win because his defensive working speed, especially in the second half, was excellent .
“I think that is what us needs to get the chance to win something and if we as a team can win something, he has a much better chance to win the Ballon d'Or.”
Prior to the opposite Newcastle United on Anfield on Wednesday, Slot could not get away from the contract situation around the future of Liverpool in Salah.
Salah, together with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, will all see their deals expired on Merseyside this summer and speculation about their future with the club has been a consistent conversation point throughout the season.
“You can look at that in both ways, because the better he does, the more expensive he can get, but if he did badly, we would think more about expanding his contract. I think it's the best for everyone He is bringing in the performances that he is doing now, “Slot added.
“Perhaps for those who have to pay him, it is not the best, but for everyone else it is the best, because if you want to play at this club, you have to be at its level, otherwise you are almost useless to play in this club.
“We only need players who are at the top of their game, because this is one of the best, if not the best club in the world to play for. He must have these performances to play here and hopefully to expand here . “
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