“Is Mohamed Salah the greatest African player in Premier League history?”
With not much time to think, Steven Gerrard struggled to formulate a proper answer to this question about Mohamed Salah. He paused for a few seconds before issuing the presenter on BT Sport the following response:
“It is a tough one with such short thinking time. Yes, probably. I think you’ll have to wait to see how he finishes the season, but if he continues to score goals and sets a record then you’d have to say yes.”
Maybe. It depends. A politician’s answer if ever we heard one.
Not the worst reply given the speed at which he had to present it, but perhaps one full season in the Premier League, even if it is a record-setting one, isn’t enough to warrant that accolade. Although he played two seasons with Chelsea before going off to Italy, it wasn’t really until he arrived at Liverpool that he lit up the English top flight.
Gerrard was forgetting other players from the continent who had a greater body of work in the Premier League. Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Yaya Toure and pre-contract negotiations Emmanuel Adebayor immediately spring to mind. Fans were quick to show Stevie G the error of his ways.
🗣 Gerrard's reply when asked: "Is Salah the greatest African player in Premier League history?"
"Yes probably."
Premier League titles…
– Drogba: 4
– Y. Toure: 2
– Salah: 1
Interesting 🤔 pic.twitter.com/n0d1dVB12H
— The Sportsman (@TheSportsman) March 7, 2018
https://twitter.com/yeahmahdi/status/971480944694714373
https://twitter.com/DiDenir_/status/971411837156720646
https://twitter.com/GULLITFANCFC/status/971480906501382144
Gerrard said Salah is the best African player to ever to play in the PL 🤔 think he’s forgetting a couple of ballers.
Maybe he meant Egyptian* @btsportfootball— Rob Davies (@RobDavies_7) March 7, 2018
Steve Gerrard saying Mo Salah is the greatest African player in Premier League history!? Behave! Had a great season but Didier Drogba was unstoppable for a good 3/4 years. Yaya, Kolo, Essien and many more done it for a much longer period. Has potential but not yet.
— Steven Blewitt (@blewitt_17) March 7, 2018
https://twitter.com/azpilibaeta/status/971468435006918661
