Pundit claims Salah the ‘wrong Liverpool player’ for FWA prize, with standout team-mate robbed

Virgil van Dijk should have scooped the Football Writers’ Association’s top player prize instead of Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah, one pundit has said.

Egypt international Salah has won the FWA Footballer of the Year for 2022 amid his standout season at Anfield. He has reached the 30-goal mark for the third time in his five seasons in Jurgen Klopp’s team.

And his overall contributions have helped move Liverpool closer and closer to an unprecedented quadruple.

Salah tops the Premier League charts for goals and assists – 22 and 13 respectively. He has also scored eight goals in 11 Champions League games to help the Reds into the semi-finals.

According to Garth Crooks, though, Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk should have won the FWA’s top gong.

The pundit made his point after the Netherlands captain put in another solid display away at Newcastle on Saturday.

“Another clean sheet and another enjoyable day at the office for Van Dijk,” Crooks wrote in his BBC Sport column. “I thought this was an extraordinary performance by Liverpool.

“Having played Villareal in the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night, travelling to Newcastle for a 12:30pm kick-off at St James Park three days later and coming away with a victory – bearing in mind the form Newcastle have been in – was outstanding.

“As for Van Dijk, you can read in ‘Crooks of the Matter’ why I think the Football Writers’ Association have selected the wrong Liverpool player for their prestigious Footballer of the Year award.”

Van Dijk reclaimed his place in the Liverpool team this season after a nasty knee injury last term.

Van Dijk and his Liverpool rise

The 30-year-old spent most of the last campaign on the sidelines and Liverpool missed his presence at the back.

While they suffered from a host of other injury problems, Van Dijk was a big miss and the Reds subsequently dropped off.

However, he has returned this season and played 46 games, including all but two in the Premier League.

Liverpool are now back challenging for the title and for the FA Cup and Champions League.

They won the Carabao Cup in February, with Van Dijk winning the Man of the Match award in the final against Chelsea at Wembley.