'Salah is like Ronaldo, not Messi'

Mo Salah started being compared to Lionel Messi long before joining Liverpool and having this subsequent wonder season. As a short, quick, left-footed winger who plays on the right, the comparisons to the Barcelona star were inevitable, and Salah has been dubbed the 'Egyptian Messi' for a long time now. 

However, since his move to the Merseyside club the ex-Roma man has been on fire, and the comparisons have become more frequent. Jamie Carragher himself even called a recent Salah goal against Tottenham Messi-esque and, due to his 31 goal tally, he has every right to be named amongst Europe's best at the moment. 

On the other hand, Carragher believes that the parallels being drawn between the two players are inaccurate, due to the fact that Salah plays more like a striker than a winger. "'Messi likes to come deeper for the ball and involve himself in the build-up," Carragher stated, writing in the 'Telegraph'. "That is not Salah's way. He has the mindset of a prolific striker, as demonstrated by how disappointed he is whenever he is substituted late in a match as he craves more goals. It is refreshing to see."

In fact, the ex-Red thinks that Salah fits the Cristiano Ronaldo model of a winger more than he does that of Messi. "Although there has been some comparisons made between Salah's style and that of Lionel Messi – obviously he is not at the level of either Messi or Ronaldo yet – the Liverpool forward has more of Ronaldo's approach about him." said Carragher. 

"Ronaldo is the prime example of how the role [of wide forward] has changed. When he joined Manchester United he liked hugging the touchline, performing his step-overs and terrorising right-backs. Now he is completely different player - a goalscorer more than provider. He is disappointed if he comes off the pitch and has not scored."

"He does not want to be indulging in his party tricks out wide because he cannot shoot from there, so his game is all about cutting inside and getting into the penalty area to swell those extraordinary numbers."

Although Salah will have enjoyed the Messi comparisons, it is doubtful that he will take any offence from Carragher's comments. The Egyptian will look to continue his goal streak when Liverpool host Newcastle on Saturday.