Alan Shearer Exclusive: Liverpool's Salah could break my Premier League goals record | OneFootball

Alan Shearer

Alan thinks Salah and Van Dijk will make Liverpool contenders again next season

Betfair ambassador Alan Shearer says Salah and Van Dijk will give Liverpool's rivals plenty to worry about next season, discusses this week's Champions League results and backs Cole Palmer to rediscover his form soon...

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Contract extensions will be weight off Arne Slot's shoulders

Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk look set to sign new contracts, which is hugely important for Liverpool, because they're two incredibly vital figures at the club.

They're probably the two most important players - the main goalscorer and captain - so that tells you how crucial it is.

I know they haven't signed, but it sounds very positive. I always felt that, with both of them, they would both sign a contract, for how long though we'll have to wait and see - maybe a couple of years, I'd guess.

It's a massive lift for Liverpool, obviously it will be a huge weight off their shoulders, because there's no doubt you do think about things like this - they're human.

It will be the same for the manager, because he's getting peppered with questions every single week. It's great news for Liverpool and I would imagine that it will give them a little boost until the end of the season.

They're going to win the league, despite a slip up last week and then they'll go into the summer with positivity.

I guess it's also good for players who might come into the club, because there's no doubt players will join Liverpool this summer. On that side of things, knowing that two big-hitters have signed contracts with Liverpool going forwards.

It'll be huge news when it's announced.

Slot has handled contracts situation well

I don't think that this contract situation has hindered Liverpool. It's been a topic for the manager that he's had to handle and he's handled it very well.

He's been showered with questions, the same ones every single week and he's been able to bat it off very professionally. I don't think it's impacted them on the pitch at all.

Obviously they got knocked out of the Champions League, lost to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup and were knocked out of the FA Cup within a few weeks of each other, despite going really strongly at that time.

But they're going to win the league, and that in itself is an incredible achievement, because not many people had Liverpool winning the title.

Salah and van Dijk deserve new contracts

I've been really impressed with both players. They've played a huge part in Liverpool's success this season, in terms of winning the Premier League.

Salah with his goals, and Virgil van Dijk with his leadership, have been back to their very best. They've played a huge part in what Liverpool are doing, but I always said that it must be really difficult, because it has to have been on their minds with that many people talking.

There's also a tiny percentage where you'd think 'what if we get a serious injury here', because there's a tiny chance you get that and don't have the security of a contract.

Mentally, I think for both, it hasn't impacted them and it certainly hasn't impacted Liverpool because they're going to have a great season and win the league.

I expect just as much from Liverpool next season

They wouldn't have been given the contracts if there was any doubt whatsoever about them both. They both look in great condition. They're both incredibly fit and have proven that this season, so they'll go again.

Salah will get his usual shed-load of goals and Van Dijk will be as solid as ever next season. I don't suspect that my Premier League goalscoring record is on Mo Salah's mind, but the record is going to go one day and whoever it goes to, whether it's Harry Kane, Mo Salah or Erling Haaland, I guess there's so many ifs and buts.

It will go one day and it might be Salah who does it.

Incredible atmosphere helped Arsenal blow away Real Madrid

I was really impressed with Arsenal in their 3-0 win over Real Madrid. That was the best atmosphere I've ever witnessed at the Emirates. Before the game and certainly before the end it was incredible.

The players responded to that. It was a tough first-half with not a lot in it, could've gone either way as Madrid had a couple of chances. Arsenal certainly had a couple of chances.

Real Madrid are Champions League royalty having won it fifteen times - the nearest to them is seven! That's why it was so special for Arsenal to do what they did and no one saw that coming.

Even if you're the biggest Arsenal fan, you couldn't have predicted that outcome, but that's why it was such a special evening for Arsenal.

That second-half performance, they actually blew Madrid away - they won every tackle, had so much energy.

Bukayo Saka, in particular, was unplayable - he gave David Alaba a torrid time. He twisted him inside-out, Alabaa didn't know what day it was, didn't know whether Saka was going to go down the outside or come inside.

Whatever he did, Alaba couldn't handle him. Saka was just outstanding and obviously Declan Rice had the night of his life.

It's one of those nights where in 10-15-20 years' time, people will go back and say: "Can you remember the night we smashed Real Madrid 3-0 at the Emirates? I was there."

You could feel how special it was in the ground and it was great to be there. It was great to commentate as well on an outstanding performance.

They do mean business in the Champions League, having only conceded six goals so far this season. It's going to be tough for Arsenal at the Bernabeu. Obviously, they won't want to concede an early goal.

They've set themselves up really for the semi-final. I'd be amazed if that scoreline was overturned. It's not impossible, not with the players Real Madrid have got, but I think because of the way Real play, Arsenal can hurt them again.

I'd be amazed if the 3-0 lead was overturned.

Declan Rice's free-kicks were staggering

As for Declan Rice's goals, it's his first ever direct free-kick that he's scored, and you're thinking: "Where have you been?"

To hit two balls like that, against Thibaut Courtois, a very good goalkeeper, Rice will never ever forget that night and so he shouldn't.

Even the first one I just thought wow - the curl and the bend on it, how far it had to go outside the post and then come back in.

When they got the second free-kick awarded, there was only ever going to be one player who would take that. I think it was him and Martin Odegaard who stood over it.

I said straight away, because of the way he hit the first one, he just had to hit the second one and it was just another moment where you're thinking wow.

The goalkeeper tried to cheat, trying to read it and go to the other side, but once he'd done that with the pace and accuracy he stood absolutely no chance of getting it. It was two staggering free-kicks. Incredible.

Real Madrid are playing for Ancelloti's future

I expect a response from Real Madrid next week - they're playing for the manager's future, which is incredible considering what they've achieved under him. But they haven't been great this season - that was their fifth defeat in the competition.

That tells you that there's something not quite right in the team. Yes, they've got the four up front in Rodrygo, Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, so they're going to have to attack them from the off.

You would think it will leave Arsenal space to exploit.

Third PSG goal makes it very difficult for Villa

The last couple of minutes, when Paris Saint-Germain scored their third goal, will have hurt Aston Villa. If it was 2-1 heading to Villa Park, it would be rocking. Coming from 3-1 down is a massive task for Villa. It's very similar to the Real Madrid v Arsenal situation, with Aston Villa having to attack and score.

With their threat and pace, PSG are a really good team. Technically excellent, defensively solid and the midfield is really clever.

We've seen them and what they did against Liverpool, home and away, and what they've done against Villa in the first-leg, so that's a tough ask for Unai Emery's players.

But then again, Villa Park on European nights is a special place to be. I'm going to be there on Tuesday, looking forward to it, doing the game.

Because of the ability that Paris Saint-Germain have, they're a different team, they're more of a team than they ever have been before. Because of that, Luis Enrique has got them really well set up.

I can't see Villa overturning it.

Villa fans can play their part

Villa Park is a great ground and for European nights it's been incredible. I saw the atmosphere against Celtic and against Bayern Munich.

It'll be better than that, but they're playing a very talented side, who are united, who are together and they've got great ability all over the park.

That's going to be the problem - I think it's going to be a bridge too far for Villa but not impossible.

Cole Palmer will get back to his best soon

Cole Palmer is human, he's not a robot. When you go through bad spells, you find out a bit more about yourself as a footballer.

Ever since he's been in that Chelsea shirt he's been nothing but phenomenal, but he's having a dry spell. That's my attitude towards it. He's too good a player for it to continue.

It's only a matter of time before he gets a goal, or an assist, or hits top note again. I'm not worried at all. I just think that it is what it is, it's the life of a footballer unfortunately.

You have good times, and you've got to get through and be measured when the bad times come along, and he's going through a tough spell right now - that's football.

It's what happens. He's not a centre-forward but he's a forward thinking player who loves to score goals and has made it look ridiculously easy.

When he gets one goal, all of a sudden he'll feel amazing and that's what happens. He'll get one and the rest will follow, you watch.

Chelsea shouldn't depend on Palmer

Chelsea are a much better team when he's at full flow, there's no doubt about it. But they shouldn't, with the players and the money that Chelsea have spent, be relying on one player.

With the money they've spent, they've put themselves in a really good position to challenge for Champions League football, which they have to.

They finished seventh last season, so they have to improve on that. You've got some really big clubs who are challenging for third, fourth and fifth, with Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Chelsea all competing to get into the Champions League.