Mohamed Salah’s form since arriving at Liverpool has got many people asking if the Egyptian is the best ever African to play in the Premier League. DEAN WORKMAN explores.

Mohamed Salah moved to Anfield in the English summer from Roma and has subsequently taken the Premier League by storm. To date, the Egyptian has scored 28 goals in the league while also notching up nine assists. He leads the race for the Premier League Golden Boot and is on course to reach 30 goals for the season – a feat only achieved nine times in the Premier League era, by seven different players.

Salah’s next goal in the league will take him level with Didier Drogba for the most prolific Premier League season by an African player. Drogba, who scored 29 for Chelsea in 2009-10, is just one of the many Africans who have starred in the English top flight over the years. Yaya Toure, Michael Essien, Nwankwo Kanu, Emmanuel Adebayor and, of course, Drogba are some of the other names who could stake a claim as the Premier League’s best ever African. Each of these players performed consistently over a number of years, winning multiple trophies in the process, something that Salah is yet to do.

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard seems to think that he knows the answer to our question. When asked whether Salah is the greatest African player in the history of the Premier League, he told BT Sport, ‘It’s a tough one. Yes, probably. I think you have to wait to see how he finishes the season, but if he continues to get goals and set a record, then you have to say yes.’

It may be a bit premature to label the 2017 Caf Player of the Year as the Premier League’s best ever African. However, if Salah can continue his current form, replicate it in seasons to come, and add in a few trophies, he will almost certainly be regarded as the best African to ply his trade in England’s top league.

Photo: Anthony Devlin/Backpagepix