At the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) awards ceremony in Manchester on 19/8, Mohamed Salah was asked by a streamer and Arsenal fan about the upcoming Premier League title race. The Liverpool forward surprisingly overlooked his own club.

Mohamed Salah (right) scores the equalizer in Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, London, England on 27/10/2024. _Photo: Reuters_

Instead, the Egyptian praised their rivals, "I think Arsenal have a great team this season. You have a really good chance. I think Arsenal are the favorites right now because the players have been together for 5 years," he said.

The 33-year-old added with a smile, "I can't wish you good luck, but I hope we win again."

Arsenal have finished second in the Premier League for the past three seasons, behind Man City in 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, and Liverpool in 2024-2025. This summer, the Gunners have spent $275 million to bring in six new players and recently reached an agreement to sign Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace.

At the same awards ceremony, Salah won the PFA Player of the Year award, beating out five other nominees: Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd), Declan Rice (Arsenal), and Alexander Isak (Newcastle).

This is Salah's third PFA Player of the Year award, following wins in 2018 and 2022. He surpasses the two-time winners Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, Gareth Bale, Kevin De Bruyne, Alan Shearer, and Mark Hughes. "I come from Egypt and have worked hard to reach the top. Today I made history. This makes me incredibly proud," Salah said upon receiving the award.

Mohamed Salah wins his third PFA Player of the Year award. _Photo: Liverpool FC_

Salah scored 29 goals in the 2024-2025 season, playing a key role in Liverpool's Premier League title win, which they secured with four games to spare. His goal in the opening match of the new season against Bournemouth brought his Premier League total to 187 goals, tying him with Andy Cole for fourth on the all-time scoring list.

Liverpool are experiencing a summer of change. The club is still mourning the tragic death of forward Diogo Jota in a car accident. They have parted ways with Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Caoimhin Kelleher, and Jarell Quansah, while spending over $400 million—the most in the Premier League—on five new signings.

Therefore, Salah was cautious when asked about Liverpool's chances of defending their title. "It's hard to say if we are stronger or weaker," he stated. "We have new talents, but we also lost some important players. Liverpool is always a special club, with great pressure from the media and expectations. Myself and senior players like Virgil van Dijk will help the new players adapt."

Compiled by Hong Duy