Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at West Ham on Saturday was overshadowed by a touchline argument between Mo Salah and Jurgen Klopp during the second half at the London Stadium.
The Egyptian – who was about to be brought on as a substitute when it happened – appeared to add fuel to the fire with his cryptic post-match remarks in the mixed zone, with some Reds fans perhaps fearing that the duo may have fallen out.
However, in a report for The Athletic in Monday which indicated that the 31-year-old is likely to remain at Anfield for next season, David Ornstein offered a comforting insight from within the club regarding the incident two days ago.
The journalist outlined that ‘there has been no suggestion of internal concern’ about the flashpoint between Salah and Klopp, and that ‘even if there was an issue between them it is fairly irrelevant’ due to the manager’s impending exit from Liverpool over the coming weeks.
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Despite Jamie Carragher doing his best to downplay the incident as nothing more than dissatisfaction from Klopp over the length of time that Salah was taking to enter the pitch, plenty of Liverpool fans and impartial observers mightn’t have been convinced.
Thankfully, with the reliable Ornstein claiming that there’s no ‘internal concern’ at Anfield over that flashpoint on Saturday, it seems that any fears over a falling out between the pair can be put to rest. Also, as the journalist pointed out, the manager’s impending departure makes that a moot point in the long run.
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Nonetheless, if it’s the type of incident which can be sorted internally between the protagonists over the coming days, it should at least ensure that the unwelcome spectre won’t hang over the team for the remaining three matches of the season, and of the German’s glorious managerial tenure.
Klopp and Salah are two of the poster boys for Liverpool’s success of the past five years, and it’d be a crying shame if their long-term working relationship were to deteriorate so near to the 56-year-old leaving, so hopefully their exchange on Saturday will prove to be no more than a storm in a teacup.
Salah has set a bad precedent through this incident. He disrespected a man who is solely responsible for making him a legendary figure in world football.