Amid the frustration of further dropped points in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at West Ham on Saturday, one regrettable moment has dominated the post-match discussion.
With just under 15 minutes remaining, the Reds were on course for a much-needed victory and Mo Salah was about to enter the fray to help see out the final quarter-hour, but then came the double whammy of a Michail Antonio equaliser and the sight of the Egyptian arguing with Jurgen Klopp on the touchline.
It was a sorry episode which overshadowed the German’s fourth-last game as LFC manager, and Neil Jones is hoping that the dispute won’t sour the relationship between two men who’ve been so integral to our modern-day success.
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The journalist told EOTK Insider: “I personally don’t think that happens if Klopp isn’t leaving. It certainly doesn’t happen if the game or the title race is still in the balance or Liverpool still feel they can win the title – I suppose you could say Salah probably wouldn’t be on the bench if that was the case!
“I just felt sad watching it unfold and I hope both will make some kind of effort to present a united front for the remaining games. It would be a real shame if the final weeks of Jurgen Klopp’s reign – and potentially Mo Salah’s time at Liverpool – were to be marked by tensions between those two.”
Jones added: “I hope Salah starts next week and I hope he scores a couple of goals. Even if it’s a little bit forced I hope there’s a bit of effort made on both parts to present a united front and remember the good times.”
We’re sure that the journalist has echoed the thoughts of most Liverpool fans in saying that he hopes the incident won’t completely overshadow the final few matches of Klopp’s brilliant Anfield reign, in which Salah has played such a massive part.
We still don’t know exactly what was said to trigger the dispute – we wouldn’t blindly take a lip reader’s interpretations as gospel – but whatever may have ignited it, we’d hate to see it prompt a long-term strain in the relationship between two men who’ve shared so many stratospheric highs since 2017.
There isn’t a whole lot on the line for LFC in their remaining three matches under the German – Premier League title aspirations have realistically disappeared, while Champions League qualification is all but mathematically guaranteed – but nor will he want such a fantastic tenure to end on a sorrowful note.
Even if Liverpool defeat Tottenham, Aston Villa and Wolves but finish third in the table, it’d at least ensure that Klopp signs off positively, and ideally Salah will snap his recent slump in form in his manager’s final few acts on Merseyside.
There’s plenty of time between now and Spurs’ visit to Anfield next Sunday for the duo to clear the air and restore a mutual amicability, so let’s hope they do just that.