Mo Salah establishes himself among European football's elite

Mohamed Salah did not celebrate either of his goals against his former club as a mark of respect

Mohamed Salah was crowned England's best player at the weekend. On Tuesday, he established himself as one of Europe's finest. Next step: the world?

On a memorable European night at Anfield, the Egyptian scored two goals and made two more as Liverpool routed Roma 5-2 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
He now has 43 goals in 47 appearances this season - a record that does not look out of place next to the very elite attacking players in the game: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.
Just days after picking up the PFA Player of the Year award, there have already been calls for him to be the next winner of Fifa's Ballon d'Or - the most prestigious individual accolade in world football.
"You've got to give him the Ballon d'Or," Robbie Savage told BBC Radio 5 live following his second goal on Tuesday. "He is that good!"
"Never mind the PFA Player of the Year, just give him the Ballon d'Or."
Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler, who was nominated for the Ballon d'Or in 1996, described Salah as a "phenomenal player".
"The form and confidence he's in at the minute, to have the class and style to score those goals just speaks measures of the man," Fowler told 5 live.
"The man we all talked about before the game; the man for the big occasion."
And those big occasions keep on coming. If Liverpool can finish the job in Rome, a Champions League final in Kiev beckons.
Just weeks later, Salah will take his talents to the global stage, when he spearheads Egypt's attack at the World Cup in Russia.

The stats which keep getting better

• Salah is the first African player in history to score at least nine goals in a single European Cup/Champions League season
• Salah has scored in each of his last five Champions League starts for Liverpool - the only Reds player to score in five consecutively before the Roma tie was Steven Gerrard between October 2007 and February 2008
• He has now surpassed England's 1966 World Cup-winning hero Roger Hunt (42) for most goals in a single season for Liverpool and only Ian Rush has scored more (47).
• Salah has scored 10 goals in the Champions League this season - the most by a Liverpool player in a single season in European competition
• The Egyptian is just the fifth player in Premier League history to be involved in more than 40 goals in a single season (31 goals, nine assists) - also Alan Shearer (47 in 1994-95) Andrew Cole (47 in 1993-94), Thierry Henry (44 in 2002-03) and Luis Suarez (43 in 2013-14).
• Salah's haul of 43 goals is the most by any player in all competitions in Europe's top five leagues this season.
• And he has scored in each of his last five Champions League starts for Liverpool, something only Steven Gerrard had previously done (between October 2007 and February 2008).

'Magical' - Pundits' reaction to sensational night

BBC commentator Alan Green on Radio 5 live: "I should be ashamed to take money for working tonight. Thank you."
Former Liverpool midfielder Steve McManaman on BT Sport: "It's just like a stroll in the park. I'm amazed by this performance tonight. It's absolutely unbelievable! You just can't believe it!"
BBC Chief Football Writer Phil McNulty: "Sadio Mane may have let Roma escape but there was no chance of Mo Salah making the same mistake - two bits of magical finishing from the Egyptian."

Former Manchester United and Arsenal striker Robin van Persie was also in awe of Salah