Hot topics close

Klopp backs misfiring Salah after crucial Liverpool winner ESPN

Klopp backs misfiring Salah after crucial Liverpool winner ESPN
Jürgen Klopp said Mohamed Salah delivered when it mattered for Liverpool after the forward scored just one of 12 chances to seal a 2-1 Premier League win against Brighton at Anfield on Sunday.
Open Extended Reactions

Jürgen Klopp said Mohamed Salah delivered when it mattered for Liverpool after the forward scored just one of 12 chances to seal a 2-1 Premier League win against Brighton at Anfield on Sunday.

Salah's second-half strike, after being released by Alexis Mac Allister's pinpoint pass, completed a Liverpool fightback after Luis Díaz had earlier cancelled out Danny Welbeck's second minute opener for Roberto De Zerbi's team.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

The Egypt international has spurned the most chances in a Premier League fixture since Zlatan Ibrahimović missed 12 while playing for Manchester United against Burnley in October 2016.

But despite Salah's unusually wasteful finishing, Liverpool manager Klopp paid tribute to the forward's ability to score the team's winning goal.

"I imagine Mo [Salah] would have finished all those situations in his career, but that would have been a crazy number," Klopp told a post match news conference.

Mohamed Salah's goal was the difference between the two sides. Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

"The finishes weren't as good as he can do, but it's staying calm with the best chance we had and that is the sign of a great goalscorer.

"It was an unbelievable ball [from Dominik Szoboszlai]. It is the creativity and the quality, seeing that. He sees Macca [Mac Allister] and his first touch is incredible and then he sees Mo.

"How wasteful we were at all the other moments, it was good we had this genius football moment to finish the game off."

Despite falling behind to Welbeck's opener, Liverpool avoided falling foul of title jitters by holding their nerve to equalise and then win the game.

Klopp said his team and the club's fans are not as nervous as they were during previous title challenges.

"In terms of being nervous as a unit, we were more nervous years ago," Klopp said.

"We would be 1-0 up and nobody would calm down until it was three or four-nil.

"It will be tough and the heart-rate will be at 180 [to] 200 from time to time, but if we enjoy this we have a chance. If we don't, it will be much more difficult.

"That's why we have to stay positive in these situations. We are up there with two other teams to win the biggest prize in English football, but we will really try hard to enjoy it.

"That was the first of the last 10 [games], so let's keep going."

Similar shots
  • Inside Liverpool Training  Salah amp Alisson back  lfc salah
News Archive
  • Bonza flights
    Bonza flights
    Budget airline Bonza's first flight takes off from Sunshine Coast
    31 Jan 2023
    2
  • Wallabies vs England
    Wallabies vs England
    Wallabies come from behind to beat England in the first Test in Perth
    2 Jul 2022
    1
  • F1 testing
    F1 testing
    Bahrain F1 testing: Verstappen edges Alonso to stay in charge on ...
    23 Feb 2023
    5
  • Eurydice Dixon Death
    Eurydice Dixon Death
    Don't blame Victorian police for Eurydice Dixon's death in Princes Park
    15 Jun 2018
    2
  • Goblin mode
    Goblin mode
    'Goblin mode' named Word of 2022 by the Oxford Dictionary. Here's what it means
    6 Dec 2022
    5
  • Outriders
    Outriders
    What Time Does ‘Outriders’ Go Live For PC, PlayStation, Xbox And Game Pass?
    1 Apr 2021
    3