Mohamed Salah has turned the spotlight onto Liverpool’s biggest rivals by suggesting Liverpool are no longer favourites to win the Premier League this season.
The Egyptian forward collected the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award on Wednesday evening, becoming the first player in history to win the honour three times.
It capped a remarkable 2024/25 campaign in which Salah spearheaded Liverpool’s title-winning run under Arne Slot, scoring 29 goals and adding 18 assists in the league, and 47 goal contributions in total across all competitions.
Liverpool clinched the title with four games to spare, finishing 10 points ahead of Arsenal, who again had to settle for second place. But speaking at the PFA Awards gala in Manchester, Salah admitted that he sees Mikel Arteta’s side as the most dangerous contenders going into 2025/26.
Taking part in a TikTok live stream from the red carpet, presenter Cecil Thomas revealed to Salah that he was an Arsenal fan and jokingly asked the forward to “slow down” to give the Gunners a chance. Salah replied with a candid assessment, claiming that Arsenal are now favourites for the title.
“I think you [Arsenal] have a great team this season. You have a really good chance.
I think you [Arsenal] are favourites now because you have players [that have] been together for five years now. I can’t say I wish you luck but hopefully we do it again.”
Arsenal have spent close to £200 million this summer, strengthening with the additions of Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyökeres and Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi. Combined with the core that Arteta has built over his six-year tenure, Salah believes the Gunners’ squad cohesion could tip the balance in their favour.
The ceremony also saw an interaction between Salah and Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice that caught the attention of fans. Rice, who joined Salah on stage as part of the PFA Team of the Year alongside Gabriel and William Saliba, referenced Arsenal’s repeated near-misses.
“It’s been really tough, coming second three years in a row. But I’ve said it before, in life you’ve got to go through some small losses in order to win and we’re going to keep going, we’re going to keep pushing, and hopefully something can come for us.”
As Rice spoke about the Gunners’ trio of runner-up finishes, Salah bowed his head and appeared to glance toward Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk — a reaction that sparked amused speculation among Reds supporters online.
Both Liverpool and Arsenal began the new Premier League season with opening day victories, achieved in contrasting fashion. Arne Slot’s defending champions overcame a spirited Bournemouth fightback to secure a 4-2 win at Anfield, while Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal showed resilience in a hard-fought 1-0 triumph away at Manchester United.
The two title contenders are set to meet on August 31 in what promises to be an early statement in the race for the Premier League crown. Before that, Liverpool face a testing trip to Newcastle, while Arsenal will look to halt newly promoted Leeds United as they chase back-to-back wins.
