Mohamed Salah has said Liverpool need to take life under Arne Slot “step by step” after the Dutchman’s first competitive match in charge produced a hard-earned 2-0 win at newly-promoted Ipswich Town.
Talisman Salah set up Diogo Jota’s 60th-minute opener at Portman Road and pounced himself five minutes later to ensure Liverpool’s season started with a win despite a first-half display that was criticised by Slot afterwards.
Former Feyenoord manager Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp this summer after the German had spent almost nine years at Anfield, winning every major trophy available to him.
The Egyptian King. Simply incredible. pic.twitter.com/4R55moGwPK
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 17, 2024
Salah: Slot ‘new system’
“It’s quite different because Jurgen was in [charge] of the team for eight years here at Liverpool,” Salah told TNT Sports, having played his first Liverpool match without the manager who signed him in June 2017.
“He gave everything and now there is a new manager, a new system. It’s quite different for all of us so we need to adapt. We just take it step by step because some players also came back late [for pre-season], so we just need to know his way of playing and to enjoy the football.
“We don’t need to put more pressure on him. We just need to play football and enjoy our games and let’s see in the end.”
Liverpool: Ipswich ‘tough’
Ipswich, who were in the third tier two seasons ago, put up respectable resistance before Salah, who has top-scored in each of his seven seasons at Liverpool, helped make the breakthrough.
The Egypt captain said it had been “especially tough” against a home side backed by a crowd celebrating their first Premier League opening day since 2001.
Diogoal 🐊🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/seK48lEQFd
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 17, 2024
“The weather is really warm today and [Ipswich are] a tough team,” reflected Salah. “For the first game of the season, the crowd is always up and they always push them forward.
“We knew [it would be tough] before the game – we have played for many years now in the Premier League so we have that experience.”
Salah goal vs Ipswich
On his 350th appearance for Liverpool, Salah broke a record he shared with Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer by scoring in the opening game for a ninth time.
“Hopefully I’ll keep going like this through the whole season, not just the first game. I try to help the team all the time. The most important thing is that the team wins the game.
“I’m always happy to score goals and to give assists so I just need to carry on.”
Liverpool are next in action at home to Brentford on August 25 (4.30pm BST). They then visit Manchester United on September 1 (4pm).
