Mohamed Salah’s sparkling form over the past three years has been key to Liverpool’s rise to the top of European football.

The Reds reached their fifth European final since 2016 this week, with a 2-1 win over Mexican side Monterrey securing their place in the Club World Cup final against Flamengo.

Goals from Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino ensured their safe passage through to Saturday’s showpiece, but Salah’s impact on both goals was crucial.

It was his disguised, defence-splitting pass that put Keita through to give Liverpool the lead in the first half, before the Egyptian showed great determination to recycle possession, leading to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross being tucked away by Firmino.

It’s the kind of impact that Liverpool fans have come to expect from their star and former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is also clearly a fan, comparing Salah to Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.

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“I like his evolution,” Wenger said, reported by the . “Because he had touches last night (against Monterrey) of a playmaker.

“He created chances around the box that are exceptional, (there were shades) of Messi in him last night and I like that a guy who can score so many goals also becomes the guy who gives assists.

“That is a complete player. That's what we all admire and what we want from our players.”

Salah has 84 goals and 32 assists in 127 games for Liverpool since signing from Roma in 2017, an impressive return for someone that people had written off after an unsuccessful stint at Chelsea.

Meanwhile, over that same period Messi has amassed a staggering 110 goals and 49 assists in 121 games.

Despite Messi’s superior stats, the pair have been performing similarly this season, with Salah collecting 13 goals and seven assists while Messi has 14 goals and nine assists, although the Argentine has played six less games.

Salah’s form over the past few years has delighted his manager, with Klopp praising the Egyptian highly.

“Very good, very good experiences (with Salah) but the most positive was on the training ground - sensationally good,” Klopp said. “On the pitch he's great, really, really good.”