'I've never seen anyone as ruthless as Mo Salah'
Mohamed Salah's goalscoring instincts make him the most ruthless forward Danny Ings has ever worked with.
The Liverpool No.11 has hit the net 32 times this season, the highest tally of any Reds player in a single campaign since Fernando Torres’ 33 in 2007-08 – with at least 11 fixtures remaining.
As well as in matches, Ings sees Salah’s talents on a daily basis at Melwood and the Englishman is effusive in his appreciation for the fellow attacker.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Mo has scored so many goals because of the chances he creates for himself during games,” he said in a recent matchday programme.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so ruthless in the way he runs in behind, in how he runs at people and how often runs through people because he’s so strong.
“He’s got everything and it is some going to score so many, a huge achievement. He’ll get more and more because he’s a top, top player but then everybody here is a top, top player.
“Look at how many Bobby has scored this year. That’s unbelievable as well and Sadio is the same – he’s just scored a hat-trick away from home in the Champions League. Confidence is flying around the place at the moment.”
Ings came within a whisker of ending his wait for a senior Liverpool goal in the closing stages of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with FC Porto at Anfield.
Sent on as a substitute with half an hour remaining, the 25-year-old’s chance arrived two minutes from time – but his header from Salah’s centre was tipped over in agile fashion by Iker Casillas.
The outing, during a goalless draw that put the Reds into the Champions League quarter-finals, represented Ings’ seventh appearance of the season as he continues to reintegrate following two terms ruined by injury misfortune.
And the striker is certain he has the skillset to operate in any of the front three positions favoured by Jürgen Klopp if called upon in the coming weeks.
“The players in the front three positions have to both score goals and do work off the ball,” he said.
“The game is getting more intense and faster and faster every year. The quality is also improving so the expectations of players in those positions at the top level are higher now. They are the match-winning positions.
“I personally think I can play in all three of the forward positions. Every time I’ve come on it has been down the middle, which I am happy about because that is probably my strongest position, but I can definitely play in the other two positions as well. That’s for sure.”