Ex-Manchester City ace Micah Richards has told Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah it's time to up his game.
The Sky Sports and Match of the Day pundit expects Salah to power his team to Fantasy Premier League success this term but feels the star needs to kick it up a notch. Even though Salah's record of four assists and four goals in six league matches would normally impress any manager, Richards is adamant his pricey fantasy pick should deliver even more.
Despite Salah's impressive stats this term at Anfield, with 11 goal involvements in nine matches across all competitions, Richards is not entirely satisfied. Reds fans might be singing Salah's praises, but Richards holds him to a higher standard.
Alan Shearer lauded Salah on The Rest Is Football podcast (via the Daily Express) after seeing the Egyptian devastate Bologna in the Champions League. However, Gary Lineker revealed Richards' axe to grind against the player and said it stemmed from a rare blip in this season's scoring.
"Spoiled my whole day," said Richards. "Mo, if you're listening - you are £12.5million on Fantasy Football. No disrespect, [but] if you're that price, I need a goal or assist every single week. I'm not asking for hat-tricks! I'm just asking for a little bit of something. Just a little something!"
Salah's only unremarkable outing of the Premier League season so far was Liverpool's shock defeat at home to Nottingham Forest in September. But Richards may be holding onto too much of a grudge if he's judging the player based on that anomaly alone.
Toon hero Alan Shearer couldn't resist a chuckle at the thought that his analysis may spur Salah into top gear, remarking: "I bet he's thinking, 'I've gotta do it for Big Meeks. I've gotta do it!'"
Salah is fresh from playing a crucial role in Liverpool's victory over Bologna, where he contributed to both goals in their 2-0 win. And the 32-year-old will undoubtedly be keen to extend his influence in the Reds upcoming clash at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Liverpool are sitting pretty at the summit of the Premier League by just a single point as Week 7 beckons and could extend that lead at Selhurst Park. Richards will surely be eager to see Salah wield his magic yet again to help secure their spot at the top, even though his allegiances at City could get in the way.