Sergio Aguero makes major Mohamed Salah claim as Liverpool title inevitability dismissed
Former City forward Sergio Aguero has praised the Liverpool forward but has insisted the title race is not over yet
Sergio Aguero has revealed that Mohamed Salah's dedication and quality forced him to improve during their Premier League rivalry while at Manchester City. And the former Argentina striker feels that Liverpool's eight-point lead at the Premier League's summit is still retrievable for his former club ahead of Sunday's trip to Anfield.
Salah's double in Sunday's 3-2 win over Southampton has taken him up to 12 goals for the campaign alongside 10 assists and the victory at St Mary's means the Reds welcome Pep Guardiola's champions to Merseyside knowing they can go 11 clear with a win at a venue their visitors haven't won at in front of a crowd since 2003.
Aguero talked up Salah's enduring brilliance and says the Egyptian made him a better striker during his time in the Premier League but the iconic forward does not think the lead is insurmountable yet for his former club.
“What an amazing player," Aguero told Stake.com. "Mo Salah has been a major player for Liverpool, and still is. Talented in many ways, a goalscorer that is always relevant.
"We had several face-offs and that had an impact – playing against great players like him forces you to be more competitive and to be better.
“Pundits are always quick to call the race and my response is always the same: it ain't over until it's over. The current point advantage may be insignificant by the end of the season. We've seen that happen frequently.
“The 2011/2012 season had us eight points below United and we took that trophy. Of course, beating Liverpool will certainly help, but it's not wise to make such sweeping statements when the tournament still has a long way to go.
“Rodri's injury had a deep impact, especially when you consider he might be off for the whole season. I could imagine Pep looking to sign a midfielder... but I'd expect it to be someone Pep is certain to be a top-quality player.
“It's true, several teams had a significant amount of injuries, particularly City. When it happens to such key players too, it's very impactful, like Rodri being off the field. Kevin has bounced back but he still needs to fully get back into rhythm. There has been several defenders who have been affected too.
“Pointing out the root cause is tricky, it's not just Premier League teams that are seeing an uptick. I do believe it's a warning sign, in the end there's no football without the players and we must look out for them. If it truly is the number of fixtures – which can seem excessive – it'll be up to the organisers to act accordingly."