Mohamed Salah kept his thoughts to himself after the Jurgen Klopp argument (Image: Ian Stephen/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock)
After a heated altercation with Jurgen Klopp on the sidelines during Saturday’s match between Liverpool and West Ham, Mohamed Salah gave reporters a juicy sound bite at the London Stadium.
Glen Johnson claims that Mohamed Salah’s refusal to give an explanation for his row with Jurgen Klopp at West Ham was an attempt to maintain team morale for Liverpool.
When Salah was waiting to play during Liverpool’s devastating 2-2 draw at the London Stadium on Saturday, he was seen angrily arguing with his manager. Darwin Nunez had no choice but to intervene and pull Salah away from Klopp, who was obviously not pleased with the Egyptian’s comments.
Salah was benched for the second straight week due to a slump in form, and it seemed that this had frustrated him. However, as he was leaving the game and making his way through the mixed zone, he turned down the chance to stop and talk to reporters, saying, “If I speak, there will be fire.”
Former Liverpool defender Johnson takes a different tack on those remarks, which some have read as offensive and implied to indicate a rift between the club’s star player and manager.
He said to Squawka, “I appreciate his honesty because the truth is, the only person who loses is him.” “He won’t be able to win if he speaks his mind and tells you what’s really on his mind because everyone will criticize him for it.
Because they will speak from the heart, players should avoid doing interviews when they are irrationally angry, frenzied, have just left the field, or have been sent off. Furthermore, not everyone is built to handle that.
So it’s okay with me. He’s at least tactful and aware that some of the things he says will offend people, so I’m sure he’s spoken to the individuals who are causing him pain in person. I honor it. He’s undoubtedly vented his frustrations elsewhere.
It goes without saying that the media and other fans would want him to do it for them. It’s not about them, though. Whatever he has to say will undoubtedly be beneficial to the team and the manager.”
Jurgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah rowed on the touchline ( Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
After the game, Klopp downplayed the importance of the altercation, saying to TNT Sports, “We spoke already in the dressing room, for me that’s done.”
The two will have to get back together because Liverpool is getting ready to play Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday.
The Reds are currently fifth, five points behind leaders Arsenal and four behind reigning champions Manchester City, who have a game in hand. Despite their slim chances of winning the championship, they should be driven to finish the season strong because Klopp is leaving his position this summer after more than eight years in charge.
