Mohamed Salah's Liverpool contract is due to expire in June(Image: Getty Images)

Rodri explains why he now puts 'knife' Mohamed Salah on par with Lionel Messi

Manchester City's Ballon d'Or winner Rodri considers Mohamed Salah the best player he has faced in the Premier League with only Barcelona legend Lionel Messi rivalling him

by · The Mirror

Stricken Manchester City star Rodri has described Mohamed Salah as the best player he has faced in the Premier League and on par with Lionel Messi.

The Ballon d'Or winner, who is out for the rest of the season because of a knee injury, was asked which player he has found most difficult to face by a reporter in Spain.

And Rodri barely hesitated when replying: "I’d say Leo (Messi), and in the Premier League, Salah in his prime. Going to Anfield is like a knife, it’s really tough."

Salah, who is out of contract in the summer, has scored 11 goals and provided six assists in 21 appearances versus the Premier League's reigning champions.

City trail Liverpool by five points entering the final international break of the season and have lost four games in a row, across three competitions, for the first time in Pep Guardiola's career.

They will face Arne Slot's pacesetters on December 1 and on Monday night defender Ruben Dias earlier this week dared their rivals to write them off.

"I would say, please doubt us, doubt us, feel welcome to do so," the centre back said.

Dias added that City have previously emerged from a poor run of results stronger. And despite being without Rodri for the season because of his cruciate ligament injury, Dias reckons strong personalities in the dressing room will steady the ship.

Rodri won the Ballon d'Or last month but will not play again this season.( Image: Getty Images)

"When we did the treble, we even called it the dark January,” he said. “We had a tough period. But it is what it is.

"What matters is how you bounce back from these moments. That's why our team has won so much because in moments of difficulty, the characters come up and we stay together.

"We don't find people to kill, we find people to bring into the cause and fight together. That's what we need to do once again. Until it's done, it's not done."

City resume hostilities against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday November 23 and visit Liverpool on December 1.

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