Virgil van Dijk offers two-word Mohamed Salah take as Liverpool panic over new deal

Mohamed Salah shone again as Liverpool overcame Aston Villa 2-0 (Image: Getty)

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has hailed his team-mate Mohamed Salah as a 'special' player who can continue to perform at the top level for years to come.

The Egyptian forward, 32, became the first player in Europe this season to reach 10 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, contributing to Darwin Nunez’s opener and scoring a late goal himself in the 2-0 victory against Aston Villa.

It brings his total to 20 goal involvements in just 17 games, with Liverpool looking to tie him down to a new contract before his current one expires next summer.

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Van Dijk, 33, has. now praised Salah's consistency and hard work, stating: "Special player. He's been like that for so many years, not just this year.

"I see the hard work he puts in on a daily basis. It's how consistent he is, especially with his numbers but with his performances as well. He's a special athlete, a special player and a legend of the club. I'm very pleased that we still share a pitch together."

Despite turning 33 in June, Salah shows no signs of slowing down, a sentiment echoed by Van Dijk: "Physically, I can definitely see that happening. Mentally, that's in his hands. With certain players, you see how they keep playing at the highest level. He's definitely one of them."