Football
ESPN staff 6y

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah named FWA Footballer of the Year

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah was named the FWA Footballer of the Year on Tuesday, giving him another top honour in a debut season at Anfield in which he has continued to set club records.

Salah, who was named the PFA Player of the Year earlier this month, beat Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne and Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane to the award, which is decided upon by the media and will be given out during a reception in London on May 10.

The forward became the 11th different Liverpool player to win the award and the first since 2013-14, when Luis Suarez also claimed the double. Kenny Dalglish and John Barnes each won it twice while Steven Gerrard, Steve Nicol, Ian Rush, Terry McDermott, Emlyn Hughes, Kevin Keegan and Ian Callaghan also won it.

Patrick Barclay, FWA Chairman, said: "It's been the tightest call since 1968/69, when there was a dead heat between Tony Book of Manchester City and Derby's Dave Mackay.

"Right up to the last week or so we thought it might happen again, so strong was the support for Kevin de Bruyne, but Mo Salah's relentless match-winning form, exemplified by his two great goals against Roma, seems to have swung the vote by a very narrow margin.

"What a race it has been between two players who, in a relatively short time, have reached genuine world class. But Mo Salah is the worthiest of winners. He is also the first African to receive the award and we congratulate him on a magnificent season."

Other players to receive votes from FWA members were Manchester City trio Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Raheem Sterling, Tottenham Hotspur's Christian Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen, Liverpool's Roberto Firmino and Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope.

Salah, who moved to Liverpool from Roma in July, has scored 31 Premier League goals this season, equalling Luis Suarez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Alan Shearer for the most goals scored in a 38-game season.

He did not score in the goalless draw against Stoke City on Saturday, ending a run of seven consecutive games in all competitions with at least one goal, and has two games remaining to match the record of 34 goals scored by Andy Cole during a 42-game season in 1993-94.

With 43 goals in all competitions this season, he became the first Liverpool player to reach the 40-goal mark since Ian Rush in 1986-87.

Liverpool, seeking their first appearance in a Champions League final since they lost to AC Milan in 2007, take a 5-2 aggregate lead into the second leg of their semifinals against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday.

^ Back to Top ^