The toughest opponent Oleksandr Zinchenko has ever faced was Mohamed Salah of Liverpool.
Salah and Zinchenko have engaged in a number of fights over the years, both at Manchester City and currently with Arsenal. The Ukrainian, who primarily plays as a left-back, has frequently faced up against Mo.
Therefore, Zinchenko’s response may not have surprised you when Rio Ferdinand asked him to name the hardest player he’s ever faced on his FIVE YouTube channel.
The 26-year-old responded, “I think it’s Salah, I think it’s Salah. “With all due respect to the other players, including Riyad [Mahrez], who I played against at Leicester. Salah is a winger who is utterly explosive and unstoppable.
“Gini Wijnaldum’s preference for box-to-box play explains why Liverpool performed so well throughout his tenure. In the 2019 Community Shield match versus Liverpool, we prevailed on penalties. At halftime, I walked to the dressing room and asked Mikel [Arteta], who was still there, “Mikel, what do I need to do with this?”
I need to defend inside when [Virgil] Van Dijk has the ball, is playing on the left side with his right foot while under no pressure, makes the first touch, Wijnaldum is running in front of me and [Nicolas] Otamendi, and Salah is dropping wide with the ball at his feet 50 meters away from me. Imagine him running against me; I’m done. There were about five balls arranged in a row like this; what should I do?
The only option, according to him, is to ask Raz Sterling, who was playing on the left, to come and drop a little lower so Trent could leave. Salah’s presence creates a significant void for Wijnaldum. Additionally, when Mo receives the ball at his feet and he
Zinchenko respects Salah
Anyone who has ever seen Zinchenko battle Salah will understand exactly what the Arsenal player is referring to.
It was always excellent news when Pep Guardiola decided to start the Ukrainian international against the Reds. He simply lacked the skills to manage Mo
.It is no secret that Egyptian King of Liverpool is one of this generation’s most challenging opponents. His accomplishments speak for themselves, and he consistently seems to be one step ahead of opponents regardless of his age.
However, the wider football community frequently fails to give Salah the credit he truly merits. It’s wonderful to hear him acknowledged occasionally as a result.
It’s also fascinating to hear Zinchenko discuss how Wijnaldum made Salah more challenging to play against. Gini was another person whose efforts frequently went unnoticed, but this just emphasizes how essential he was to everything Liverpool did.
The Reds have arguably still not found a replacement for him two years after his departure. Alexis Mac Allister, a recent addition, appears to be the one who is most likely to do that, however it is still very early in his career.
It’s enjoyable to reflect on those happier times since a certain negativity looms over Liverpool due to their lack of transfer activity. Of course, Zinchenko still has to face Salah, and you can be sure that Mo will be informed of this. The next time may end up being the hardest for Alex.
