'Salah can emulate Messi & Ronaldo'

Liverpool icon Ian Rush believes Mohamed Salah has the potential to follow in the footsteps of global superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Egypt international leads the Premier League scoring charts with 29 goals and is just three short of setting a record for the most goals scored in a single 38-game campaign.

Salah, 25, took his tally across all competitions to 38 with the opening goal in Liverpool's 3-0 Champions League quarter-final victory over Manchester City at Anfield on Wednesday, catching the eye yet again.

And Rush – who scored a record 346 goals for Liverpool – believes if he can maintain his current form Salah can reach the heights of Messi and Ronaldo.

"I'm surprised. If anyone told me he'd score 30 goals in the season you'd probably laugh. He's already done that," he told 'Omnisport' at an event organised by One Family and the Ian Rush Foundation.

"For me he's been absolutely amazing. I watched him against Watford, he scored four goals. He was absolutely amazing.

"For me the two greatest players in the world are Messi and Ronaldo, without doubt. They've been here year in year out but when I watch Salah, he was on par in that game. He's got to do it year in year out but he's certainly got the potential to do that.

"The thing you like about Salah is he's very unselfish. He scored four goals [against Watford] but he tried to lay on three for others. For me, that's a perfect Liverpool player."

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Salah's spectacular form has not gone unnoticed and defending European champions Real Madrid have been linked with a move, but Rush is confident he will remain on Merseyside.

"The crowd loves him, he loves them, players love him, manager loves him, everyone loves him. So, for me, [there is] no reason for him to go anywhere," Rush claimed.

Liverpool are currently 18 points behind Premier League champions elect Manchester City but stand as the only side to beat Pep Guardiola in the league this season, raising hopes of the Reds ending their long wait for league glory next season.

Rush was part of the last Liverpool side that lifted a league title in 1990 and believes that Jurgen Klopp is the right man to lead the club to success.

"Everyone is under pressure. No matter what job you're taking you're under pressure. Yes, he's under pressure but managers strive on that, that's what it's all about," he said.

 "He has to deliver but there's no one better than him at the moment to do that. Fans love him, he loves club. I think next year will be big year because they can challenge Manchester City for the league."