Mohamed Salah has admitted he is feeling the weight of expectation as Liverpool look to end their 29-year wait for a Premier League title.
Speaking to former Liverpool captain and sports media in England pundit Jamie Carragher, Reds talisman Salah spoke honestly about the pressures he and his team-mates are under ahead of Sunday’s Premier League game against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Yet he argued Manchester City are also under pressure in a tense battle at the top of the table, as he admits his dream to win the Premier League is a light at the end of his tunnel.
“You can feel it (the pressure) because you are still a human being,” said Salah. “For me, it is not a big deal if I win a game now or three weeks ago. I want to win each game, but for myself, I said that we are playing for the Premier League, so there is pressure.
“Also there is pressure for Man City. I said in November that there is pressure and it will be there until the end of the season because when you play for the Premier League you have to accept that there is pressure. When you go home you can take it with you, but it can help you to work harder and focus on your game.
“To enjoy it is not enough, from my side. At the end of the day you have a target in your mind, you have a dream, you want to win the Premier League. I even said that two years ago when I came – it is a dream to win the Premier League.”
Liverpool will face a key week in their title pursuit as league games against Watford and local rivals Everton are on the horizon in the next week, with Salah targeting three wins to ensure his side remain at the top of the table.
“It is a very big week for us and if we win three games and are top of the table, that is huge for us,” he added. “When you have three games in a week or ten days, you just need to win, win, win, then after that you have time to think.
“Even when we are not top of the league, I know how much United want to win against Liverpool and Everton the same. For me, it is not a big deal. We just need to do what we have been doing for the last couple of months.”
The interview sparked a jovial Twitter joust between former United defender Gary Neville and his Sky Sports punditry colleague Carragher, as the duo exchanged public messages that have evidently been echoed on their own WhatsApp group.