Jordan Henderson has praised Mohamed Salah's desire to improve after the Liverpool forward was named PFA Players' Player of the Year.
Salah edged out Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne to secure the prestigious honour on Sunday, with his fellow professionals rewarding him after a stunning debut season at Anfield.
Signed from Roma, the forward has netted 41 goals in all competitions, helping Jurgen Klopp's side not only occupy a spot in the Premier League's top four but also reach the Champions League semi-finals, where they will face Salah's former club at home in the first leg on Tuesday.
Henderson knew Salah arrived with a glowing reputation following a successful stint in Serie A, yet admits his free-scoring team-mate has exceeded all expectations.
31 – Mohamed Salah has scored 31 Premier League goals this season – the joint-most by a player in a 38-game PL campaign (also Alan Shearer 95-96, Cristiano Ronaldo 07-08, Luis Suarez 13-14). Elite. April 21, 2018
"I think we expected him to be good, but I think he's gone above and beyond that really," the England international told the club's official website.
"He keeps improving, he keeps getting better and better with each game, more confident of course.
"Obviously the manager's helped him loads since he's come to Liverpool, the players have been brilliant around him, so he's had a good group of lads that he's come into and that'll have helped him develop as well.
"But all the hard work goes down to him, he's in the gym all the time, improving his strength and in training he's always working hard for the team, and he gets his just rewards at the end of it.
"He's always doing work behind the scenes, always in the gym doing little bits here and there and working on his shooting and stuff in training, always working hard on what he needs to do for the team first and foremost, but then his goal tally speaks for itself really."
Salah found the net in Saturday's 2-2 draw with West Brom, taking his tally to 31 and, in the process, equalling the record for the most goals by a player in a 38-game Premier League season.
Having moved level with Alan Shearer, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez, the 25-year-old now has three more games - against Stoke City, former club Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion - to add to his league haul.
