Salah named PFA Player of the Year

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah was named the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year on Sunday night.

The 25-year old edged Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne to the award.

Salah has been mesmeric, as well as rudely efficient in front of goal for the Reds, he currently has 41 goals in his first season since his £36.9m move from Roma.

The Egyptian forward scored in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw against West Brom on Saturday to equal Alan Shearer, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez joint record of 31 goals in a 38 game season.

“It’s an honour to be the Player of the Year for the Premier League, especially as it’s voted for by the players,” said Salah.

“I think from day first I left the Premier League, it was always in my mind that I wanted success here. I didn’t get the chance at Chelsea so I was clear in my mind that I would return. I think I left and then I came back as a different person, a different man and a different player.”

Pep Guardiola after Manchester City’s win over Swansea City claimed no player has been better than De Bruyne.

“If he doesn’t win, then congrats to the guy that wins,” he said. “But in my opinion there is no player better than him in terms of continuity, every three days, competitions, three days. Maybe the numbers say someone is better than him but this season there has been no one better than him. That’s my opinion but players can have another one. But in the end, in the summertime, we will be at home being champions,” Guardiola said.

Salah becomes the second African to win the award after Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez, who won the award in 2016.

Liverpool face Salah’s former team, Roma in the semi-final of the Champions League.