Mohamed Salah humorously suggested that Liverpool`s latest Premier League title felt even better than their previous one, especially given the departure of Jurgen Klopp and two iconic former teammates.
Liverpool were crowned English champions for a record-equalling 20th time today, following a convincing 5-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.
The prolific forward, Salah, scored Liverpool`s fourth goal in the rout, increasing his Premier League tally to 28 and his total for the season across all competitions to 33.
Salah was also a key figure when the Reds secured the title five years ago under Jurgen Klopp, playing alongside his formidable attacking partners Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
A significant difference between the two title wins is the presence of fans in the stadium.
Due to Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, Liverpool`s previous title celebration, ending a nearly 30-year wait, had to take place without supporters present.
However, this time around, there were no such restrictions to dampen the title party.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the 32-year-old Egyptian star playfully indicated that this title, won under new manager Arne Slot, felt particularly special to him.
“Ah, this is way better 100 per cent,” he stated.
Grinning, he then joked: “Without Sadio [Mane], without Jurgen [Klopp], without Bobby [Firmino], without everybody…”
“It feels more special, with the fans.”
“But you know, you have a different group now, a different manager, and you show you are able to do it again – it’s something special.”
Salah is now the sole remaining member of the celebrated Liverpool attacking trio that propelled the club back to the summit of English and European football, including winning the Champions League.
Mane departed Liverpool for Bayern Munich in 2022, while Firmino left in 2023; both forwards now play in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli, respectively.
Salah recently signed a new lucrative contract worth £400,000 per week, extending his stay at Liverpool alongside experienced defender Virgil van Dijk, another player who was part of the squad that secured the club`s first Premier League title five years ago.
The Egyptian winger also praised new Dutch head coach Arne Slot, explaining how his tactical approach has contributed to his improved performance.
He commented: “You can see the numbers! Now I don`t have to defend much.”
“The tactics are quite different. I told him, `As long as you ease my defensive duties, I will contribute offensively`, and I`m pleased with the outcome. He listened a lot and you can see the numbers.”
“When you play in the Premier League you have to defend but I said that I can gamble and somehow I can make a difference. My number of assists shows that, you can create chances as well.”
Having largely kept the squad he inherited last summer, former Feyenoord manager Slot paid homage to his predecessor Jurgen Klopp after securing the title, even leading the Anfield crowd in a chant celebrating the German manager.
