MARVEL MO IN ELITE CLUB

Salah becomes only third Kop star to hit 250 goals after accepting gift from Villa's keeper Martinez as Reds win

- BY ANDY DUNN

IT is an old chestnut but it has more than an element of truth about it. Form is temporary, class is permanent.

And few Premier League players have had as much class as Mo Salah. His 250th Liverpool goal might have been a gift from Emiliano Martinez but the finish still needed precision, still needed composure. And never mind the landmark moment when, just before halftime, he stroked Liverpool into a lead that would become a relatively comfortable win, there were plenty of other signs that Salah might just be nudging his way back to his best.

But then again, reports of his and, indeed, Liverpool's demise have been exaggerated.

Losing four Premier League games on the spin after winning five on the spin is not a crisis, it is a slump.

For champions, it is a test of mettle. That applies to both the staff and the fanbase and this was as passionate as Anfield has been all season.