Mohamed Salah should have Liverpool's rivals running scared as Arne Slot sets new record

Mo Salah doesn’t even seem to have hit top gear yet - but he continues to be the driving force in this Liverpool side. We’ve only just hit October and he’s scored six goals and created five.

Nobody has reached similar tallies in both so quickly since John Barnes netted five with five assists in 1989-90. What should be scary for the Reds’ rivals is that the Egyptian king hasn’t even hit full throttle yet.

The stats don’t suggest it but those who go to Anfield regularly will tell you that Salah isn’t quite firing on all cylinders. What a terrifying thought for Premier League and European defences.

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Salah, 32, is certainly putting himself in a stronger position in terms of contract talks as every week goes by as Liverpool cruised past Bologna to continue their stunning start to the season. It still feels a long way from Munich in May. Especially thanks to UEFA’s revamped competition.

But it was the Argentina ace Alexis Mac Allister and Salah who helped the Reds take another step - even if tiny - towards the Allianz Arena.

After an opening win over AC Milan last month, six points are now secured as another Serie A side were easily dispatched and progression to at least the last 32 looks within touching distance already.

Arne Slot has now won eight of his first nine games in charge of Liverpool. No manager in their history has enjoyed a better start. Everything is going smoothly for the Dutchman in his new job. Salah has been quite helpful, of course.

It was the easiest of finishes for Mac Allister to get his first of the season. If Bologna boss Vincenzo Italiano and the large travelling army were hoping to keep it tight then their plans were ripped up in the 11th minute.

Salah was the provider with his fifth assist of the season to put it on a plate for Mac Allister to tap home after a superb build up. The lack of jeopardy in this new format of the Champions League couldn’t be more evident than this game.

With three points secured at the San Siro, a defeat here for Liverpool would only really delay their progress into the next round rather than derail it. So when Darwin Nunez squandered chances or found the offside flag up when he did find the net, there wasn’t much panic.

Nor was there when Bologna threatened. Dan Ndoye hit the bar off the leg of Ibrahima Konate for the visitors before the same player cracked the foot of the post with a low drive. Kacper Ubanski forced Alisson into a fine save in a period of pressure from the Italian side that was exposing some gaps in the Reds defence.

Riccardo Orsolini then forced the Kop keeper into another good save after the break before Salah secured the win with a stunning finish. Like he has done so often, he cut in on his left foot from the right and curled one into the top corner with 15 minutes to go.

The goal ended any hope of a Bologna comeback. Slot knows there’s bigger tests to come. Especially given their daunting run after this month’s international break. But points won early in the season count as much in May as they do now. And they’re collecting them at home and in Europe.

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