Jurgen Klopp’s spirited men in red were visibly not at their fluid best despite their 2-0 win over Brighton. It was also apparent that Mohamed Salah wasn’t having exactly his one of his better days at the office for Liverpool.
A curt, if not angry, exchange occurred between Klopp and Salah while the match was in progress in what was far from a vintage performance from the Reds despite securing the crucial three points in the title race to edge them closer to Pep Guardiola’s and his men.
Luis Diaz gave the visitors the lead until Salah slotted home the penalty in the second half to give the Reds some breathing space. However, the Egyptian winger was obviously far from his best and was wasteful in front of goal and Klopp was not too pleased with his wasteful finishing at times and was actually seen hollering at Salah at one point to “pass the ball” after a Liverpool attack had collapsed.
Salah, his arms up in the air in sheer frustration, exasperatedly: “To who??”
It is not nlikely that Salah wasn’t in exactly the right frame of mind after the news that his agent Ramy Abbas Issa had swiftly rejected Liverpool’s latest contract offer that had come towards the end of last year. Since then there have apparently been no further talks on the issue. Salas had also made it clear that he would not be interested to renegotiate unless the terms are improved considerably.
Klopp meanwhile insisted the club “cannot do much more “ in talks as both parties with both parties having reached a stand-off. However, speaking about Salah ahead of the Brighton clash with his usual unperturbed demeanor, Klopp called for perspective, saying he was relaxed about the situation.
“The Mo question, nothing new happened, everything is fine, Mo is giving absolutely everything to the club,” Klopp said.
“I understand these questions about contracts, but the club is in talks with all the agents and all the people and that is how it should be.”
Then, he had said: “Mo definitely expects this club to be ambitious, we were in the last few years and we are. Of course we cannot do much more (in talks), that is how it is but it is Mo’s decision.
“From my point of view, it is exactly like it should be at this time. Nothing happened further, no signing, no rejections. We just have to wait, it is completely fine.”
Salah, on his part, has previously claimed this contract demands are not”crazy” and revealed he wants to stay at Liverpool beyond his current deal which expires in June 2023.
“I want to stay, but it’s not in my hands. It’s in their hands. They know what I want. I’m not asking for crazy stuff,” Salah said in an interview with GQ in January, having reportedly asked for £300,000 per week.
“The thing is when you ask for something and they show you they can give you something (they should) because they appreciate what you did for the club.
“I’ve been here for my fifth year now. I know the club very well. I love the fans. The fans love me. But with the administration, they have (been) told the situation. It’s in their hands.”