Liverpool thrash Watford as Mohamed Salah cements spot as Premier League's brightest star

Salah scored one and provided another as Liverpool won 5-0 at Watford

WATFORD -- From the first time Mohamed Salah touched the ball to the last you could feel the tension ratchet up at Vicarage Road. The Watford supporters knew that anyone in Liverpool's red shirt could beat them today but it was the No.11 that they truly feared. Perhaps there was even a frisson of excitement emanating from the home faithful. If you're not going to stop him you may as well enjoy it.

On today's evidence, and the weeks that preceded Liverpool's serene 5-0 win over Watford, Salah is the best player in the Premier League and it's not that close. His magnificent goal, Liverpool's fourth, might just be the pick of the eight he has to his name in the top flight so far this season. You can add five assists to that tally as well. The only reason to not label him a one man offense is that Sadio Mane has been almost as excellent. Add in today's hat trick for Roberto Firmino and that means that the fabled front three all occupy top spots in the top five of the Golden Boot charts.

Certainly Jurgen Klopp is not afraid of garlanding his star forward with the highest of praise. Salah, he insists, is not merely the best in the league but the planet's outstanding footballer right now. "Who is better than him? We don't have to talk about what Messi and Ronaldo have done for world football and their dominance. But right now, he is the best."