Football News

When it comes to picking one image to symbolise the end of an era at Liverpool, Jürgen Klopp’s quarrel with Mohamed Salah on the London Stadium touchline will take some beating. This is what happens when power slips away. This, sadly, is the way that it ends.

We will have to speculate about the specific reason behind the row that grabbed the attention after Liverpool’s deflating 2-2 draw with West Ham on Saturday. 

West Ham’s equaliser had arrived before Klopp, who had been waiting to make a triple substitution, was able to introduce Salah, Darwin Núñez and Joe Gomez. 

The manager seemed miffed and appeared to admonish Salah, whose angry response made it very clear that he had zero interest in listening to any criticism.

It was quite the scene. Salah clearly did not regard Klopp as a figure of authority. Instead of holding back, the Egyptian had to be held back by two of his teammates. Later, as he made his way out of the stadium and walked past reporters, he declined interview requests and said there would be “fire” if he stopped to speak.

Say no more, Mo. We get it. Klopp had tried to play down the incident during his post-match press conference, but Salah lit the fuse. 

The Egyptian winger was hardly acting as the model of diplomacy, even if his remark was delivered in a jokey way. Far more preferable would have been Salah providing the same kind of spark on the pitch during a spell that has seen Liverpool’s season go up in smoke.

It was not supposed to go this way when Klopp announced that he was leaving. Liverpool won the Carabao Cup final and targeted a quadruple. But something shifted when they went out of the FA Cup to Manchester United last month. 

The physical and mental challenge was too much. Defensive flaws

Darwin Nunez Joe Gomez Liverpool