After the Reds’ thumping 6-1 win over Sparta Prague, Jurgen Klopp revealed he told Mo Salah to do something that he has never told any player before.
With Liverpool all-but qualified for the quarter-finals by the 14th minute, if they weren’t already before kick-off, the Reds could relax.
While they still pushed on and scored another two in the second half, some players were allowed to take it easy, particularly Salah.
In his pre-match press conference, Klopp had said: “I am not sure he (Salah) is ready for 90 minutes or that we should do 90 minutes, but he is ready to start. That’s how it is.”
Given the Egyptian had a false start last time he returned from injury, against Brentford on February 17, Klopp and the team will have been taking extra care to ensure Salah didn’t push himself too far.
In the end, though, he played the full match because his planned substitution was superseded by Bobby Clark‘s ankle injury.
This meant that Salah stayed on for the full match and was forced to manage himself. Thankfully it wasn’t a problem, and Klopp revealed what he told the No. 11 to ensure he took things easy.
After the game, the manager said: “The plan was to take him off, then Bobby (Clark) sat in front of me and had to come off.
“He is experienced enough that he could recover during the game. I told him not to run; I don’t think I’ve ever told a player to do that before!”
Klopp said similar in his post-match interview on TNT Sports, adding: “I think it’s the first time I told any player: ‘Just stop defending’.”
You are unlikely to hear those words come out of Klopp’s mouth again as Liverpool boss. The manager then said: “He is very experienced so he got easy over the line.”
The news stands Salah and the Reds in good stead for Sunday, when they will face a Man United team who won 2-1 on Liverpool’s’ last trip to Old Trafford.
Fan Comments