Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has opened up about being taken aback by the swift success Arne Slot has brought to the club. In his inaugural season, Slot has steered Liverpool to Premier League triumph, a Carabao Cup final appearance, and secured top spot in the Champions League’s first-ever league phase before bowing out in the round of 16.
Slot, who previously managed Feyenoord, didn’t make sweeping changes to the squad, with Federico Chiesa being the sole new addition to the team that finished third under Jurgen Klopp last term. Yet, Liverpool equaled its previous season’s points total with four games left, clinching the top position early as competitors stumbled.
Salah expressed his surprise in an interview with France Football: “I didn’t expect us to win so quickly,” he said. “Who could have predicted that the transition would be successful so quickly? No one, I think.”
“In pre-season, Arne came to see me and asked me to be an example for the other players. I told him not to worry because I’m always at my best, not to set an example, but because that’s who I am. He told me what he expected of me in the game, with a lot of responsibilities in running, which I liked.”
Salah has been the standout performer for Liverpool this season, topping the Premier League charts in both goals and assists. His stellar form has propelled Slot’s squad to the summit, especially with injuries hampering last year’s frontrunners Arsenal and Manchester City.
The Egyptian maestro hinted that Slot addressed certain issues that were present during Jurgen Klopp’s final term.
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“Arne is very direct, he re-established the competition, whereas with Jürgen, we were perhaps a little too much in our comfort zone towards the end,” Salah remarked.
“Arne and his staff are more open to discussion, to sharing feelings, I think that was important in my performances. And, above all, it led us to success.”
With an impressive tally of 28 goals and 18 assists in 35 outings this season, Salah now owns the record for the most combined goals and assists in a single 38-game Premier League season, surpassing Arsenal icon Thierry Henry.
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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has also voiced his astonishment at how quickly Slot has clinched his first piece of silverware. Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside, he said, “I don’t think anyone predicted this, not even the biggest Liverpool supporter.
“To win the league title is just ‘wow’. We know how hard it’s been over the last few years for Jurgen Klopp and he’s created some of the best Liverpool teams the club has ever seen. To win the league in the first season for Slot is out of this world.
“I like that he’s done it his way. He hasn’t tried to be Jurgen Klopp or imitate him except for the microphone after the Tottenham game. I thought that was a brilliant moment and sums up Liverpool – that no-one is bigger than the club.”
