Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko has named Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah as the toughest opponent he’s ever faced.
Salah is regarded as one of the best forwards in the world following his impressive goal-scoring exploits for the Reds for the past seasons. The 31-year-old has scored 186 goals and recorded 79 assists in 305 appearances across all competitions since moving to Anfield from AS Roma in 2017.
The Egypt international finished last season as the club’s top scorer with 30 goals in 51 appearances as Jurgen Klopp’s side finished 5th in the Premier League table after a tough start to the season.
He has helped the club win several titles including the Premier League, Champions League, Club World Cup, Super Cup, and Emirates FA Cup.
“I think it’s Salah, I think it’s Salah,” Zinchenko told Ferdinand. “With all my respect to the rest, to Riyad (Mahrez) as well because I played against when he was at Leicester (City). He’s (Salah) an absolutely explosive and unstoppable winger.
“What Liverpool did so well, especially when Wijnaldum was there, because Wijnaldum is more like box-to-box… Community Shield game against Liverpool penalties, we won that game. Mikel was still there and I went to the dressing room at half-time and said, ‘Mikel, what do I need to do with this?’
“‘(Virgil) Van Dijk on the ball, he’s playing on the left-side on the right foot, without pressure, he does first touch, Wijnaldum runs behind between me and (Nicolas] Otamendi) I need to protect inside, Salah drops wide, the ball to feet and the distance between me and Salah, was like 50 meters. Imagine his pace against me, I’m finished. What do I need to do at half-time? There was like five balls like this in a row.
“He said, ‘the only one way is to ask Raz (Sterling) who was playing on the left, to come to drop a bit lower to leave Trent’. If you stay with Salah then it’s a big gap for Wijnaldum. And when Mohamed is receiving the ball at his feet and he gets the pace, it’s impossible, impossible.”
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