Sky Sports presenter Kelly Cates opened her interview with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk by offering an apology, as the pair had just finished lifting the Premier League trophy. Liverpool celebrated the conclusion of their title-winning campaign with a draw against Crystal Palace at Anfield.
Van Dijk kicked off the festivities by raising the trophy in front of the home fans, joining in with chants of You’ll Never Walk Alone as the team and supporters reveled in their success. Both Van Dijk and Salah were central to the celebrations but had to momentarily leave their teammates and fans to speak with the broadcaster.
Earlier, Cates had asked Salah if he was available for a quick chat with Sky Sports, but he initially declined, citing other commitments. When Salah and Van Dijk eventually returned for the interview, Cates began by saying, “Thank you so much for joining us, and apologies for pulling you away from such incredible scenes. Virgil, congratulations.”
Asked about how it felt to lift the trophy, Salah expressed his joy: “It’s an amazing feeling. Last time we didn’t get the chance to celebrate in front of the Kop because of COVID, but today we did. Winning the Premier League with these fans is truly special.”
He added that he couldn’t recall hearing Anfield so loud, and emphasized how meaningful it was to win the league title again with fans present.
Van Dijk shared similar emotions: “It’s an incredible moment. The key turning point was against Spurs. That feels like ages ago now. I’m very emotional—it’s a special day for my wife and kids. No one can take this from us.
“I love this club, I love the fans, and I love everything it represents. We’re proud and ready to keep pushing forward.”
After the brief conversation, Cates and pundit Daniel Sturridge told the two players to return to their families and teammates.
Liverpool’s head coach Arne Slot also joined the broadcast, reflecting on the title win. “Winning is always special, but at some clubs, it means even more,” he said. “I felt this at Feyenoord with the passionate fans—and it’s even more intense here.
“You never expect scenes like this. The Premier League is usually a tight race to the end, so just being part of that is amazing—winning it is even better.”
When asked when planning for next season begins, Slot smiled and replied, “Probably four weeks ago! It never really stops. Even during the season, we’re planning ahead.
“Our sporting director is more focused on the long term, but he keeps me in the loop. The targets we’re looking at now have been on our radar for a while.”