How Mo Salah’s start to 2021-22 compares to Messi’s best season

Liverpool‘s Mohamed Salah has cemented his status as one of the best players in the world at the start of the 2021-22 season.

Salah has taken his game to another level for Jurgen Klopp’s side this season, prompting comparisons with the likes of Lionel Messi.

We’ve compared Salah’s start to the 2021-22 season with Messi’s record after 12 league and Champions League games in 2011-12, his best-ever individual season.

As the stats show, Salah has scored three more goals than the Argentina international and averaged a direct goal contribution on a slightly more regular basis.

Messi finished that season with 50 league goals (73 in total) and Salah will be hoping to end 2021-22 with a similar total, although he will miss part of the season due to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Mohamed Salah (2021-22)

Games: 12
Starts: 12
Sub appearances: 0

Goals: 15
Assists: 5

Penalties scored: 2

Minutes per goal: 70
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 80.8
Minutes per goal or assist: 52.5

READ: Eight Premier League records that Liverpool’s Mo Salah has broken

Lionel Messi (2011-12)

Games: 12
Starts: 11
Sub appearances: 1

Goals: 12
Assists: 7

Penalties scored: 0

Minutes per goal: 84.9
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 84.9
Minutes per goal or assist: 53.6

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