Salah recently admitted that when Anfield KOP stands held a memorial ceremony for Diogo Jota, he could not suppress his surging emotions.
Liverpool's first match in the new season was a difficult test for Slot's team, and the death of Jota and his brother Andre Silva, the core figure who helped the club win the 20th championship, is still unreliable. After Salah scored a 4-2 victory against Bournemouth, he recreated Jota's classic celebration move, but the most moving picture of the night was the moment when he stood in front of Reds fans and burst into tears.
In an interview with podcast show Men In Blazers, Salah revealed how all this was beyond his expectations. The Egyptian star is Jota's best friend. The Instagram post he posted after Jota's fatal accident was very contagious. The fans' reaction after the final whistle became a catalyst for emotional breaking: "This is tricky for me, because I was completely unprepared. Usually I would applaud and thank the fans after the game. But when I stood in front of the Kop stand, they began to sing hymns dedicated to Jota."
"The emotions suddenly surged into my heart, and his figure was all in my mind. You tried to control it, but seeing countless people in the stands venting emotions, the psychological defense line would eventually collapse."
Salah's role in Anfield has quietly changed. He has now entered the leadership team and has become one of the veterans of the locker room. Eight years passed by, but his influence remained unabated. He is particularly responsible for helping young players grow. After 17-year-old star Engumoha caused a sensation on Newcastle's winning goal eight days ago, Salah deliberately had in-depth exchanges with him.
When Ngumoha became the youngest goal scorer in Liverpool's history, his performance was reminiscent of inter-era geniuses such as Irving and Rooney. But Salah is determined to guide him through this stage smoothly: "He is still so young. After the game, I told him to stay away from social media. You can share the joy of scoring with your family and friends, and enjoy the first moments of your football career, but don't indulge in the outside world. It's always illusory."
"His future depends on how to deal with the status quo. We need to work hard and remain humble. Some players struggle too early after reaching the peak. I sincerely wish him all the best. There is an excellent team around him, and the coaching staff also communicates with him from time to time. He just needs to remain humble and focus on working hard."
Although some people believe that Salah has not ushered in an explosion in the new season, the fact that the Reds' front line reorganization needs to be considered. His tacit understanding with Werz and Ekitic is still being cultivated, and Isaac's joining is a new variable.
Salah said: "I haven't fully sorted out the cooperation mode yet. In the past, when I partnered with Nunes, Luis Dias or Jota, I knew their running habits. But Ekitic is still a new player. Sometimes I need a ball under my feet, and sometimes I need to be interspersed with space. We are running-in through training and video analysis, and the coaching staff is also guiding me. I believe that a tacit understanding will be formed soon, which will also promote my performance improvement."