Mohamed Salah aimed a comical dig at Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool clinched their 20th English top-flight title on Sunday.
Salah, 32, got on the scoresheet during Liverpool’s 5-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, which saw Arne Slot’s side crowned Premier League champions with four games left to play.
The Egyptian’s strike for Liverpool's fourth goal was his 28th in the 2024/25 league campaign, but his first since penning a new two-year deal on April 10.
Of course, despite winning the league in 2020, this was the first time Liverpool’s players and fans could enjoy the moment together since 1990, as only around 500 family and friends were in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago.
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And Salah was asked which triumph was more special following yesterday’s title-clinching victory.
Salah told Sky Sports: "Ah, this is way better, 100 per cent. Without Sadio, without Jurgen, without Bobby, with 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.”
He then went on to hint that he prefers his role in Slot’s side compared to his previous one in Klopp’s team, Salah added: “You can see the numbers.
"Now I don't have to defend much. The tactics are quite different. I said, 'as long as you rest me defensively I will provide offensively', so I am glad that I did. He listened a lot and you can see the numbers."
The 32-year-old is now the favourite to win this season’s Premier League Golden Boot and will likely be a contender to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
Liverpool head coach Slot was quick to praise his predecessor when speaking to the crowd gathered inside Anfield.
"It feels great," said Slot.
"I don't think I want to say a lot. The only thing now is to send my appreciation to Jurgen Klopp."
Speaking to Match of the Day, he added: "I am 99.9% sure that if I pick up my phone there will be a message from Jurgen.
"So many moments in the season the two of us have had contact. I think he showed last season what a wonderful human being he is by introducing me.
"But what mattered most is the team he left behind that was able to win the trophy."
Topics: Mohamed Salah, Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool, Premier League, Football, Arne Slot, Anfield, Champions League
Luke Davies