Kostas Tsimikas has explained what is different about Mohamed Salah this season and why his performances for Liverpool have improved so drastically.

The Egyptian is on 17 Premier League goals from 18 matches this term, just one short of his tally from the entirety of last season. And the records continue to tumble for Salah, who seems to set a new one every week.

In the 5-0 win over West Ham United, the 32-year-old recorded a goal and assist for the eighth time in the Premier League this season, already the most from a player in an individual campaign. He also scored his 100th home Premier League goal in the win against Leicester and moved up fourth in Liverpool’s all-time scorers list during t he 6-3 victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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No wonder his performances have prompted talk of a Ballon d’Or if Salah can continue these levels into the second half of the season, while Julen Lopetegui said after Sunday’s game that the Liverpool no.11 is the best player in the world right now. It’s a view shared by Tsimikas.

“I see him more hungry for the league and every competition,” the left-back told LFC TV when asked about his team-mate. “I think he wants to show everybody at this time that he’s the best football player in the world. For me personally, he is.

“The things he does on the pitch is incredible, the numbers he does every game and especially on the training ground,” Tsimikas added after making his 100th Liverpool appearance. “The work he puts in, he deserves everything and I’m really happy for him.”

Meanwhile, Slot also praised the former Roma and Chelsea attacker after the 5-0 win at the London Stadium. “Mo and the word extraordinary is something I’ve heard a lot in the last six months — he truly deserves this,” he opined.

“We know what a player he is and we know what he's able to do. But apart from that, he works really hard for the team also when the other team has the ball and yeah, we can only hope that he can keep bringing these performances in.”