InterviewMo Salah on United goal record, Arne Slot style and his new celebration
Mohamed Salah is determined to set an example as Liverpool seek to build on their positive start under head coach Arne Slot, with a trip to Manchester United next up.
The Reds have won both of their opening two Premier League games this term, with Salah scoring once each in 2-0 victories over Ipswich Town and Brentford.
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Watch on YouTubeA cornerstone fixture of every campaign now looms, with Slot taking his side to Old Trafford for a 4pm BST kick-off on Sunday.
Salah, who has scored more times against United than any other team (14 goals), sat down with Men in Blazers ahead of the latest clash of the fierce rivals. Read some of the best bits of the chat below…
On what is behind his excellent scoring record against United…
I just go to the game, try to focus on the game and win the game. I know what it means to the fans and the city, so I’m always trying to help the team and score goals. If we score goals we have a better chance to win the game so I’m always focusing on the game, trying to help the team to win the game.
On how he has changed during the seven years since he signed for Liverpool…
I have changed a lot. As a person, you grow. My kids are Scousers now! Their language is like the accent as well. So, it’s a big change. As a player also, I developed a lot and improved a lot. It’s a lot of change. Now I’m one of the experienced players in the team. You won almost everything with the team but also your role has changed on the field and outside.
As a player you feel like now you are aware of everything in the game, you’re more calm and you know football more than before now. When you come [through] you are really young, you are excited most of the time and you can’t really control your emotions in the game. But now you can handle it well because you have more experience and you deal with situations as you have done 100 times before. Now you can control your emotions in the game and try to set a good example for the young players. And just play your game, that’s the most important thing as well.
On the story behind his new ‘archer’ celebration…
I think I was watching the UFC – [Alex] Pereira against Israel Adesanya. When he won the second fight against Pereira, he celebrated like that because Pereira beat him in the first one. I like the celebration, that’s why I do it. I am a UFC fan. And also back home, people take it as, our Egyptian pharaohs used to do it when they drew something in a temple or the pyramids or somewhere. It’s similar.
On how he would describe the change in Liverpool’s style under Slot…
As you said, it’s quite different to before. Now we are trying to control the ball all the time. I’m not saying before was not, but before it wasn’t really the No.1 thing because with Jürgen [Klopp] most of the time we tried to counter-attack or counter-press and try to win the ball as high as possible. Now we’re still doing that for sure but also when you have the ball you have more time to keep the ball and just try to move the ball around. So, more possession with the ball.
The system is quite different but I think we are adapting very well, especially the senior group, because we have been with one manager for seven or eight years. Now we are adapting with a new manager. Everything is working well so far, so hopefully we can continue like that and win big trophies.
On the mental adaptation needed to change to a new coach’s tactics…
Yes, definitely, because naturally when you keep doing things for seven or eight years, you’re subconsciously programmed to do it that way. So the new manager, especially in the pre-season, he was on top of those things and told me, ‘OK, I know you did that for many years but our pressing is quite different so I want you to adapt to that as well.’ So, I’m trying to adapt to it. So far it’s working well for all of us, so hopefully we keep going in that direction.
On the song he would choose if he could only pick one to listen to for the rest of his life…
Wow, that’s quite tricky. In pre-season I was asked and I said Lose Yourself by Eminem because I really loved it and the way he was singing was insane. I think during the time it has changed a little bit, but I love Eminem, anything by Eminem is great, I love him.
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