Mo Salah is the new Lactate Test king at Liverpool

Liverpool's brutal pre-season lactase test saw two new winners following on from the departure of fitness freak James Milner.

Every year since he joined the club in 2015, the former England international won the test, even doing so at the ripe old age of 36 last year.

The aerobic test measures the lactic acid level of players at increasing distances. Players with levels too high are eliminated, as at the end of each checkpoint, a sample of blood is taken from each player's ear to evaluate their lactic acid level.

Andy Robertson has admitted to throwing up when he took part in the challenge on his very first day at Liverpool.

Former Liverpool player Kevin Stewart was always named as the one who could give Milner a run for his money in the test but now that the 37-year-old is a Brighton player, it was time for others to step up to the mark.

And Mo Salah did just that. Footage on Liverpool's 'Inside Training' video showed the Egyptian King absolutely smashing the test as part of a group which had Jordan Henderson and Virgil van Dijk in it.

Salah's fitness levels are incredible and it's no surprise to see him emerge victorious after seeing his outrageous 7km time on a treadmill.

When he completed the test, Jurgen Klopp announced Salah's victory by saying, "And the James Milner award goes to..."

But a second group then took part and it was new signing Dominik Szoboszlai who outlasted new teammates like Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cody Gakpo.

He showed that he has the required energy levels to go with the technical attributes required to play under Klopp and was congratulated by his colleagues.

Asked about his first day of pre-season, the Hungarian said it was "really hard but really good".

What are the benefits of the test, we hear you ask? “According to EKF Diagnostics, who supply the equipment, it's said that "Testing and improving lactate threshold within a training program can be used to make stronger and faster athletes.”

Topics: Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, Premier League, James Milner

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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