Mohamed Salah admitted Arne Slot’s willingness to let him focus on attacking helped inspire his sensational form this season.

The Egyptian has been the driving force behind Liverpool’s Premier League title triumph, chipping in with a goal in Sunday’s 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur to take his tally for the season to 28 goals and 18 assists in 34 Premier League outings.

While Salah was always among the Premier League’s elite during his time under former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, the Egyptian has forced his way into the Ballon d’Or conversation since Slot arrived at Anfield, with a key tactical tweak behind his success.

“He’s quite tough,” Salah told Sky Sports. “He made our life easier because immediately he knew what he wanted you to do, which is what we did. I’m glad we won it here.”

Asked whether he felt Slot had made him a better player, Salah admitted: “You can see the numbers. It seems so. Now I don’t have to defend much.

“It’s quite hard to say one thing [that is different], but the tactics are quite different. I told him, ‘As long as you rest me defensively, I will provide offensively. Try to rest me as much as I could and I will show you the numbers’. I’m glad that I did.

“It was the manager’s idea but I think he listened a lot. I spoke to him and you can see the numbers.

“It’s quite tricky because when you play in the Premier League you have to defend also. I told him that I can gamble here and there but when I get the ball I am always free and can make the difference. I think the number of assists also shows that. It’s not just goals – it’s about creating chances that are different for the team.”

With the Premier League title now wrapped up, Salah’s individual focus will turn to breaking the Premier League’s single-season assist record, currently held jointly by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne at 20.

Salah needs to create just three more goals across Liverpool’s four remaining fixtures against Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion and FA Cup finalists Crystal Palace.