Boniface Ambani believes Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah cannot be compared to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba despite becoming the highest-scoring African player in the Premier League after his hat-trick against Manchester United on Saturday.
Heading into the game at Old Trafford, the 29-year-old Egypt international was tied at 104 league goals with the former Ivory Coast captain and he needed one goal to surpass him.
Instead, Salah grabbed a hat-trick as Liverpool ran riot at Old Trafford to humiliate Manchester United 5-0 and as such reach a new tally of 107 goals.
It was Guinea international Naby Keita, who scored the opener for the rampant Reds in the fifth minute after being put through by Salah and Diogo Jota made it 2-0 in the 13th minute before Salah broke Drogba’s record with the third goal in the 38th minute.
Salah then scored the fourth in the 45th minute before he sealed the emphatic win with his third of the day and fifth for Liverpool in the 50th minute.
According to Ambani, who played for AFC Leopards and Tusker in the Kenyan league and also the national team Harambee Stars, the consistent performance of Salah in the Premier League will soon make him the King.
He has, however, urged the football family not to compare Salah and Drogba insisting the latter was in a class of his own during his playing time.
'Salah is still climbing the ladder'
“Salah is among the greatest African players in the Premier League,” Ambani told Goal when asked if the Egyptian ranks among the best after his latest achievement.
“He is still climbing the ladder and soon with his consistency, he will be seated among the top-notch players up there.
“He isn’t far from the top-ranking players, almost at par. His consistency in the Premier League will soon make him the King, he has become a joy to watch, you don’t know what to expect when he has the ball, he can score from any angle, he can score using both legs, he is becoming a huge threat to teams in the top-flight.
“He can create and at the same time he can score, he is not selfish, for example, he could have scored the first goal against Manchester United but he opted to pass to Naby [Keita], who scored.”
'Drogba still leads the pack'
On whether Salah has surpassed Drogba as the greatest African in the top-flight, Ambani said: “Let us just respect Didier [Drogba]. He was in a class of his own in the Premier League.
“He still remains one of the greatest players to have graced the Premier League, alongside Nwankwo Kanu, Jay-Jay Okocha, Benjani Mwaruwari among the greatest hits. Drogba still leads the pack.”
On who between North African and West African players have contributed more to the Premier League, Ambani explained: “West and North Africa countries have immensely contributed to the sweetness of the Premier League. They have produced so many players, especially the West.”
On whether Drogba deserves more credit than he gets, Ambani said: “Drogba is a King. Let him enjoy his status while it lasts. Salah is on his neck. Time will tell. All the accolades Drogba receives, he deserves, he worked for it, he did.
“He [Drogba] deserves the respect. Nobody can deny that from him. Unless somebody is blinded with facts.”