Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has reaffirmed Mohamed Salah’s importance to the club after the Egyptian starred in a 3-0 FA Cup win over Brighton.
Salah scored a penalty and provided an assist as the Reds progressed in the FA Cup, with Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai also on target.
Salah’s season has included speculation about his future following reported tensions with head coach Arne Slot. However, he has started every match since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations and contributed key goals and assists during that spell.
Van Dijk emphasised Salah’s broader impact, saying: “Mo is still so important for us. He is still a leader and important for me personally… his presence benefits the team. He always gives the team more than goals.”
Despite limited scoring form, Salah continues to produce milestones, recently matching Steven Gerrard’s 92 Premier League assists after setting up a goal against Sunderland. His contract runs until 2027, though interest from Al-Ittihad and the Saudi Pro League remains.
Van Dijk admitted he hopes Salah stays, adding: “I always want Mo to stay because I’m a good friend and we’ve been through the highs and not-so-highs together. The full focus is on trying to make this season a success first.”
The Dutch defender also praised the development of summer signing Milos Kerkez, highlighting his improvement as Liverpool attempt to climb the Premier League table.
