Mohamed Salah's nine-year Liverpool journey ended with a message that should ring in Arne Slot's ears all summer long. Six words that cut to the heart of what this club demands: "So you better win next year."

The Egyptian's farewell speech to his teammates wasn't your typical sentimental goodbye. Instead, it was vintage Salah: direct, honest, and loaded with the kind of expectation that defines this football club. Standing before the squad, he delivered a truth that stung precisely because it needed saying.

"Being Liverpool, to win something for Liverpool and win games, it's the best thing that could happen to you," Salah told the assembled players and coaching staff. "I think it's the best club in the world when you win something – and the worst club in the world when you lose."

That final line hits different when you consider how this season unfolded. Liverpool's defence of their 20th top-flight crown didn't just fade away quietly – it fizzled out disappointingly while Arsenal and Manchester City battled for supremacy. The Gunners eventually claimed their first championship in 22 years, leaving the Reds with considerable ground to make up.

Salah's brutal honesty about Liverpool's standards comes at a time when the club faces what many consider a summer of necessary reconstruction. The transfer market beckons with urgent questions that need answering if Slot's squad is to mount a genuine title challenge next term.

But according to Michael Owen, Liverpool supporters shouldn't get their hopes up just yet. The former Reds striker, who netted 158 goals for the club, has delivered a forecast that makes for grim reading at Anfield.

"I think a challenge next season is only going to come from Manchester," Owen told Metro, effectively writing off Liverpool's title chances before the summer transfer window has even opened properly.

Owen's reasoning centres on both Manchester clubs' potential rather than Liverpool's shortcomings, though the implication is clear. "I think Man City will be strong. They ran Arsenal very close this season and have a good group of young players who have shown will be in a title race next season and with two domestic cups, they will come back stronger."

The former England striker also backed Manchester United to challenge under Michael Carrick, who penned a long-term contract on Friday after taking the reins from Ruben Amorim in January. "You look at their form since he arrived and it's definitely one of a title contender," Owen added.

What makes Owen's prediction particularly stinging is his assessment of Liverpool's current position: "Liverpool will hope to challenge, but they need to get everything right to do so and I'm not sure they are there just yet."

This brutal verdict comes at a time when both Manchester clubs will be managed by coaches yet to claim a Premier League title. City will need to navigate life without the iconic Pep Guardiola, who departs this summer, while United continue their rebuild under Carrick.

Salah's departure, alongside Andy Robertson who also received gifts marking their nine years at Liverpool, represents the end of an era. But his parting message wasn't draped in nostalgia – it was a challenge wrapped in expectation.

"I don't want to be emotional today, because tomorrow's going to be an emotional day," Salah concluded. "But I have really appreciated every moment I've had at this club, I had a great time with all of you, and it's something I will take in the future. So thank you very much and hopefully I will see you soon again."

The timing of Salah's words, just under a fortnight after his controversial social media warning about Liverpool's disappointing form, suggests this wasn't accidental. He drove his message home in person to teammates and coaching staff because he knew it needed saying.

As Liverpool prepare for what promises to be a defining summer, Salah's six-word challenge hangs heavy over Anfield. The question now is whether Slot and the club's hierarchy are listening closely enough to deliver on those expectations when the new season arrives.