‘He is the best’: Klopp hails Salah as the world’s premier player

Jürgen Klopp hailed Mohamed Salah as the best player in the world after the latest wonder goal and masterful performance from the Liverpool forward, who was almost unplayable in their 5-0 win at Watford.

Salah scored Liverpool’s fourth goal with a bewitching solo effort that bore similarities to his strike against Manchester City 13 days previously. He also created Sadio Mané’s opener with an exquisite piece of vision and his manager said nobody is in comparable form.

Related: Firmino’s hat-trick and Salah’s scorcher lead Liverpool rout of Ranieri’s Watford

“Come on, who is better than him?” Klopp said. “We don’t have to talk about what Messi and Ronaldo have done for world football and their dominance but, right now, he is the best.

“His performance was massive. The pass for the first goal was great and the second goal was special. He is top, we all see it.”

The goal was Salah’s 10th of the season and his ninth in eight games. “He’s the best, I feel, every day,” Klopp said of Salah’s place in the charts.

Salah was reluctant to separate the goals against Watford and City but acknowledged he is operating with high confidence. “I’m just trying,” he said. “Sometimes I don’t have luck, I’m just trying to give 100% of what I have.

“I am confident at the moment, I’m scoring goals, helping the team win points, which is the most important thing.”

It was also a significant day for Mané, whose goal was expertly taken and brought up 100 in the Premier League for the Senegal forward. Klopp was keen to share out the praise and pointed out that Mané’s contribution has come without the aid of penalties. He has taken one in his Liverpool career, which was saved by Red Star Belgrade’s Milan Borgan, in 2018.

“The special thing is he’s scored 100 goals without a penalty,” he said. “It’s a special number, he should be proud of that. It doesn’t happen for a lot of players but he’s a world-class player as well, it’s incredible how good he is. A big day for him, and we’re really happy for him.”

Claudio Ranieri came away less content from his first match in charge of Watford, who were never in the game. “I knew before coming that I’d have to work very, very hard,” he said of his side, who look bound for a long winter fighting relegation. “At the beginning we were very nervous and after [eight] minutes you concede a goal. And some of their goals were our presents.”

Of Salah’s brilliance, he said: “If not the best, he’s one of the best. At the moment Salah is in great condition and everything he touches is gold.”