Mohamed Salah says winning the Premier League title this season with Liverpool was 100 per cent better than the first time the club became champions in 2020 because it was in front of the club’s fans.
The first title was claimed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with supporters unable to attend Anfield for the Liverpool trophy lift nor celebrate around the stadium.
On Sunday, with a 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool were confirmed as champions and did it at a packed Anfield.
"It is incredible to win this with our fans,” Salah told Sky Sports. “This is 100 per cent better than last time, especially with the fans. We have a different group now so to show we can do it again is something special."
Salah ended a four-match scoreless run to make it 4-1 and take his tally to a league-leading 28 goals this season, as well as 18 assists. It also moved him up to FIFTH in the Premier League's all-time goalscorers' chart.
Salah put these improved attacking returns to a change of role under Slot.
"You can see the numbers,” Salah said. “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.
"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."
Records in sight
And Salah is eyeing the record for goal involvements in a Premier League campaign after his goal against Spurs took him one from the record of 47 goal involvements held jointly by Andrew Cole in 1993/94 and Alan Shearer the following season.
“Goal involvements, for sure... hopefully I’m going to break it soon,” Salah said. “I know I broke the record for 38 games. Now one goal or one assist to go I think? I counted!”
'The most beautiful club in the world'
Virgil van Dijk became the first Dutchman to captain a team to a Premier League title and echoed Salah’s words about confirming a a record-equalling 20th English league championship in front of Liverpool supporters.
“This is the most beautiful club in the world,” the defender told Sky Sports. “We deserve this. We are going to enjoy the next couple of weeks and take it in.
“I was desperate to win it for them [the fans] and all the fans around the world, and for us as well.”
'We were more controlled this time'
Like Van Dijk and Salah, for Andrew Robertson it was a second title at Anfield, but as well as the atmosphere he saw differences in the way that Liverpool became champions albeit with some similarities as well.
"It was a different style of play then [in 2020],” he said. “It was high energy, high press. But this team is a bit more controlled.
“But from a manager's point of view the key things are the same. The consistency has been there for both teams and that is what has got us over the line."