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Attendance: 53,287

Premier League

Mar 17, 2018 at 5.30pm UK

Liverpool
5-0
Watford

Salah (4', 43', 77', 85'), Firmino (49')

FT(HT: 2-0)

Javi Gracia: "Unstoppable" Mohamed Salah just like Lionel Messi

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 19 March 2018

Javi Gracia describes Mohamed Salah as an "unstoppable" player in the same mould as Lionel Messi, having watched the Egyptian forward take his Watford side apart.

Watford manager Javi Gracia has said that there are real similarities between Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Barcelona counterpart Lionel Messi.

The Hornets were on the wrong end of a 5-0 thrashing at Anfield at the weekend, four of which were netted by the Premier League's leading goalscorer.

Gracia is no stranger to suffering heavy defeats, though, as his Osasuna side went down 7-0 to Barca at Camp Nou four years ago, with Messi scoring three of those.

Asked just how difficult it is to stop the two players, the 47-year-old told reporters: "Many times it is not so important what your plan is, no matter how hard you work on it, because a player like that can change it in an instant. I remember that [7-0] game, you don't need to remind me! But I also remember I went there the next season and won!

"They are both incredible players - they were both unstoppable, yes. Honestly, both are fantastic, and now Salah is in a very good moment, one of the best in Europe. It is very difficult to play against them, because they can both score in any moment. That is the same with both, they have so many qualities, they can do it in a single moment.

"You can do everything right in your defence, and in one moment you are lost. You can have plans to stop them, you have to try and we did it [against Messi] with Malaga yes. But players are always the most important element in a game. Players like Messi and Salah, they make decisions, and they decide games. That is what happened with Salah.

"It is difficult for us stopping an individual like Salah like it is difficult stopping a team like Liverpool. Sometimes you just can't do anything. But not only Salah, the whole Liverpool team is one of the best teams in Europe right now. They have a high pressing level, higher level than Barcelona. But both teams are in this moment the best in Europe."

Salah has also been compared to now-Barcelona striker Luis Suarez by teammate Jordan Henderson for the impact he has had in his maiden campaign on Merseyside.