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Having passed Luis Suarez’ 31 total goals scored in 2013-14, Mohamed Salah sits just one behind Fernando Torres’ 33 in 2007-08 and four off Robbie Fowler’s 36 in 1995-96, a near lock to end up Liverpool’s top scorer in the Premier League era.
On pace to score at least 41, Ian Rush’s all time record of 47 during the 1983-84 season might be out of reach, but he’s likely to end up the most prolific scorer a lot of Liverpool fans will have ever seen—and Danny Ings says he’s not surprised.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Mo has scored so many goals because of the chances he creates,” Ings said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so ruthless in the way he runs in behind, in how he runs at people, and how often runs through people.
“He’ll get more and more because he’s a top, top player but then everybody here is a top, top player. Look at how many Bobby has scored this year. That’s unbelievable as well and Sadio is the same. Confidence is flying around the place at the moment.”
Salah’s 32 goals—with 24 of them coming in the league so far, as many as seventh-place Burnley have scored as a team—are a world class return and worth celebrating, but just how well all of the front three have done is worthy of note.
Firmino is up to 22 goals—and has 13 assists along with it—while Mané is up to 14—one goal more than he scored last season. Together, they have 45 league goals so far, more than every Premier League side outside the top six.
Beyond just being impressed, Ings is trying to find inspiration in the way they’re playing—even if it makes minutes harder to come by—and wants to be the sort of player who can get minutes by being able to cover for any of them in the front three.
“The players in the front three positions have to both score goals and do work off the ball,” he added. “The game is getting more intense and faster and faster every year. The quality is also improving so the expectations at the top level are higher now.
“I personally think I can play in all three of the forward positions. Every time I’ve come on it has been down the middle, which is probably my strongest position, but I can definitely play in the other two positions as well. That’s for sure.”