Jurgen Klopp is reportedly set to have a conversation with Mo Salah regarding whether or not the Egyptian will remain on penalty-taking duties for Liverpool.
The 30-year-old has missed his last two spot kicks for the Reds, failing to hit the target from 12 yards in the 1-0 loss at Bournemouth in March and the recent 2-2 draw against Arsenal.
Had both of those been converted, the Merseysiders would currently be eight points off the top four with a game in hand – making Champions League qualification still a realistic target – rather than 12, which has left them with a very tall order to be in the tournament next season.
According to a report by Paul Joyce for The Times, Klopp is determined to address the matter by speaking to Salah as to whether it’s best for him to remain Liverpool’s designated penalty taker or have one of his teammates assume the responsibility.
What was most worrying about the aforementioned faux pas against Bournemouth and Arsenal is that the Egyptian missed the target completely – it’d be less of a concern had the two goalkeepers he faced been called into saving the spot kicks.
However, it’s worth remembering that the 30-year-old missing from 12 yards is still a rare occurrence – of the 29 penalties he’s taken for the Reds, 24 have been scored, including five in a row prior to the defeat at the Vitality Stadium five weeks ago (Transfermarkt).
Indeed, he’s made a happy habit of punishing tonight’s opponents Leeds from the spot, scoring four times from that situation against the Whites since their return to the Premier League in 2020 (Transfermarkt).
If Liverpool are awarded a penalty at Elland Road, Salah will still fancy himself to dispatch it and atone for the recent misses, which could put Klopp’s proposed conversation with him on the backburner.