Roy Keane and Ian Wright have voiced their frustration over the “unfair” comparison between Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne.
As Salah nears a new two-year contract with Liverpool and De Bruyne prepares to leave Manchester City at the end of the season. On the latest episode of Stick to Football, the podcast panel, featuring Gary Neville, Jill Scott, Wright, and Keane, were asked by Neville, “Whose Premier League legacy is greater, Mo Salah or Kevin De Bruyne?”
Though the group leaned toward De Bruyne, Wright and Keane both were reluctant to pick one or the other.
“At the moment you’d probably have to go with Kevin De Bruyne,” Wright admitted. “He probably makes the all-time Premier League XI. He’s an exceptional talent and a consummate professional.”
Meanwhile Roy Keane responded bluntly, “Do we have to compare the two? They’re two brilliant players.”
Ian Wright echoed the sentiment, “Why compare them? Of course De Bruyne has more trophies, but Salah is amazing as well. It’s an unfair question.”
Despite siding with De Bruyne, Wright emphasized, “It’s unfair on Salah. You need to compare players with similar medals or accomplishments.”
Salah, who’s on course for his second Premier League title, ranks joint-fifth on the league’s all-time scoring chart with 184 goals, and has won the Golden Boot three times, along with the 2021/22 Playmaker award. He’s chasing both again this season.
De Bruyne, meanwhile, boasts six Premier League titles and 118 assists in 281 games, second only to Ryan Giggs. He has also claimed the Playmaker award three times and been named in five PFA Teams of the Year, compared to Salah’s three.
While both players have left their mark on English football, Roy Keane and Ian Wright’s frustration highlights just how difficult, and perhaps unnecessary, it is to pit two all-time greats against each other.