Mohamed Salah insists he is determined to finish on a high at Liverpool and win the Premier League in what he believes is his final season at the club.
Salah is currently in red-hot form with Arne Slot's side six points clear at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand ahead of their Super Sunday clash with Manchester United, live on Sky Sports (kick-off 4.30pm) .
The 32-year-old is now the Premier League's best player in terms of both goals and assists this season, with 17 and 13 assists respectively, but his future remains uncertain as he enters the final six months of his contract.
Whatever happens, Salah, who wrote a list of his goals and ambitions for the season while on holiday last summer, wants to do “something special” for Liverpool and lift a second Premier League trophy for the club in May.
“The first thing on the list was to win the Premier League with Liverpool,” Salah told Sky Sports.
“In my interviews over the last seven or eight years, I always say [I want to win the] Champions League. But this is the first time I've said I really want to win the Premier League with Liverpool.”
When asked why that is, he added: “I have no idea. It's probably because we didn't celebrate the victory we won in the way we wanted and also, coming back here, it's my last years at the club, so you want to do something special for the city.
'That was in my head.
“We've been waiting for that title for about thirty years. So to win that one, and it was the pandemic at the time, we didn't really have time to celebrate properly. It's not fun to do, so hopefully we can do it this year.”
Under former boss Jurgen Klopp, Salah won almost every major club title with Liverpool, securing a Premier League title, a Champions League, the FA Cup and two league cups. They also added a European Super Cup and a Club World Cup
However, Salah still believes that this Liverpool team, which contains almost half of the players who enjoyed so much success under Klopp, has yet to win a trophy and especially a second Premier League crown.
He said: “My motivation this year was to win a trophy and play a big part in winning that trophy, especially in the Premier League.
“I still believe the team needs a trophy. There's still half the team left like me, Trent [Alexander-Arnold]Virgil [Van Dijk]Alisson, Robbo [Andy Robertson].
“It is imperative that we win another trophy before we all leave.”
Asked if Liverpool need a second title to cement their legacy, he added: “Yes, definitely [to rubber stamp this Liverpool team as a great Premier League team].
“We've won almost everything, but we've won the Premier League once. Hopefully we can win it twice, which would be great.”
'No progress in contract negotiations'
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk's contracts also expire this summer, but Salah's stunning performances this season have him dominating the headlines.
Salah has already said this season will be his “last year” at Liverpool, adding in September that “no one has spoken to me” about his expiring contract.
On Sunday he again told Sky Sports that he is still “a long way away” from agreeing a new contract with Liverpool after his player-of-the-match display in their 5-0 thrashing of West Ham, and reiterated the same .
Asked if he really believes this is his last season at the club, he said: “So far, yes. It's been the last six months.
'There is no progress there. We are far from any progress.
“So we just have to wait and see.”
The speculation has not distracted Salah, who is in incredible form.
Sunday's match against West Ham was the eighth this season in which he has both scored and assisted, which is already the most by any player in a single Premier League season.
He has also scored 30 goals in just 18 Premier League games – the fewest of any player in the competition's history.
His total of 52 goals in all competitions in 2024 is the most of any player in the major European leagues.
When asked how he has managed to maintain his focus, he replied: “What I have in my mind is that if this is the last six months, what do you want to see in the future?
“Do you want to look back and say I was worried or stressed about the contract? Or do you just want to say I had an incredible season? That's what's in my head.
“If I ever feel distracted, I remind myself that I want to look back and say I had an incredible season. That's what I want to do.”
'I always expect great things from myself'
Liverpool boss Slot said Salah is the best player in the world right now and Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher believes the Egypt international is in pole position for the 2025 Ballon d'Or.
Looking at the numbers, which rival those of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid and Lionel Messi at Barcelona in splendor, it's hard to argue with that, but Salah isn't focused on individual accolades.
“I am very motivated to win the Premier League,” he said.
“90 percent of winning an individual award depends on your performance with the team and winning a trophy with the team. If you win with your team you have a greater chance of winning a Ballon d'Or or something to win like that.
“The most important thing for me is to win the Premier League and be a big part of it. I don't want to just have a small part. I want to win the Premier League and then people can say he has made a difference.” made the team win.
“Again, it's not easy to do. Arsenal are overtaking us. Chelsea are overtaking us. Man City will definitely come back. It's very difficult, but we just have to stay focused, don't take it for granted and keep working hard.” Hopefully we win in the end.”
Speaking about his spectacular form and the incredible numbers he is achieving, he added: “I always expect big things from myself.
“I work very hard and when you work that hard you expect the best from yourself. I always try to put myself very high, so I expected high things from myself.
“I'm very proud to see the numbers, but you just have to forget about it and stay humble.
“I don't want to say at the end of the season that I had incredible numbers but the team didn't win anything. I just want to win the trophy and get the big numbers.”
Salah thrives on responsibility in Slot's Liverpool
Salah believes a change of regime has also helped him and Liverpool this season.
Jurgen Klopp left Liverpool in the summer after 11 years as manager and Salah preceded him for seven extremely successful seasons at Anfield.
However, Salah believes Slot's arrival has helped the team, suggesting the Dutchman's tactical changes have added a new dimension to Liverpool, while the forward also believes he can flourish with more responsibility within the team.
“The new manager has come with a new idea that will help the team,” he said.
'We had been to Jurgen's [Klopp] for seven years, so maybe things have changed a bit, making us all more eager and wanting to win more.
“That doesn't mean we stopped wanting to win, but change can help the team and I have never been more motivated to win the Premier League than I am now.
On how Slot has helped him this season, he added: “The way we play is completely different.
“With Jurgen we always had one system. We stuck to what we did with him, it didn't matter what. We did that for seven to eight years.
“The new manager changes things depending on the match. We haven't done that before.
“In my game, the team trusts me a little more than before and somehow it helps me to express myself, play my game and improve some parts of it.”
Liverpool's bid to win a second Premier League title continues on Super Sunday when they host Manchester United at Anfield, live on Sky Sports; starting at 4:30 PM.
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