Mohamed Salah insists winning the Champions League with Liverpool would mean far more to him than any personal accolades that come his way.
The Egyptian netted his 30th Premier League – and 40th in all competitions – on Saturday as Liverpool secured three more points as Bournemouth were swept aside 3-0.
Salah is the slight favourite over Kevin De Bruyne to win the Player of the Year, while our Monday Verdict also suggested the Egyptian could break Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s duopoly of the Ballon d’Or this season.
Meanwhile, Salah’s looping ahead against the Cherries saw him retain his five-goal cushion against Harry Kane in the race to win the Premier League’s Golden Boot.
Asked whether he would prefer to win the Champions League or an individual honour like the golden boot, Salah replied: “If you had a choice between the Champions League and (individual honours like the golden boot) then of course the Champions League. I have no doubt; (it’s) the Champions League.
“To win the Champions League is huge for everyone. I don’t care about the rest.”
Salah’s battle with Kane for the Golden Boot took a twist last week when the Tottenham forward was awarded his side’s second goal against Stoke with Christian Eriksen’s free-kick brushing his shoulder.
Shortly after that decision was announced, Salah tweeted: “Wooooooow really ?”
When that was put to him, Salah laughed and added: “I don’t want to say anything about that!
“In the end they said it’s his (Kane’s) goal so it’s finished for me. Now we still have four games and they (Tottenham) have five games so I have to think about my games and we see.
“Of course (the golden boot) is in my mind. I cannot lie – it is in my mind. But you can see with the team everyone tries to pass the ball to me to help me.
“I am also sure that Tottenham’s players try to help Harry Kane and also Manchester City’s try to help Sergio Aguero. It’s like that, but in the end we play as a team.
“I am happy to have this feeling. You feel they want to support you and want to help you to score goals. That’s a good feeling.”
Salah is now just seven goals adrift of Ian Rush’s record 47 goal haul in a single season, and discussing whether he can make history, he added: “It’s also very close, it’s just seven goals, but let’s see.
“We have the Premier League and semi-finals of the Champions League to play. I will try my best to score again and help the team.”