Liverpool star Mohamed Salah named Football Writers' Footballer of the Year ahead of Roma Champions League clash

The Egyptian winger beat Kevin de Bruyne to the title

Mo Salah has been named FWA Player of the Year (Getty)

Mohamed Salah has won the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year award after a stunning debut season with Liverpool.

The Egyptian winger, who faces Roma in the Champions League semi-final on Wednesay night, becomes the first African to ever win the prize.

He is the first Liverpool player to win the award since Luis Suarez's stunning 2013/14 season - also the last time it wasn't won by a league champion - and only the third-ever double award winner from the Anfield club after Suarez and Steven Gerrard.

After winning the PFA Player of the Year award last week, Salah becomes the fifteenth player to be recognised by both the nation's leading football writers and players.

In a poll of around 400 members of the FWA, the winning margin is believed to have been fewer than 20 votes between Salah and De Bruyne, who between them comprised 90% of votes in this year's poll.

Harry Kane came third. The remaining players to receive nominations, in alphabetical order, were Sergio Aguero, Christian Eriksen, Roberto Firmino, Nick Pope, David Silva, Raheem Sterling and Jan Vertonghen.

N'Golo Kante won last year's award with champions Chelsea while Jamie Vardy was the 2015/16 winner after a sensational season in which he fired Leicester City to the Premier League title.