Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is not frightened about Mohamed Salah’s misfires in front of goal as he keeps turning up in big moments after they’re needed most after his second-half winning goal against Brighton returned the Reds to the highest of the Premier League.
Luis Diaz’s volley just before the break allowed the hosts to recuperate from Brighton striker Danny Welbeck’s shot after 90 seconds, however the Reds needed a transparent head and clinical touch from the Egypt international to secure a 2-1 victory.
Salah had 12 attempts on goal, probably the most in a Premier League match and probably the most ever by a Liverpool player within the competition.
It was also the perfect result by any top-flight player since Zlatan Ibrahimovic against Burnley over seven years ago.
Despite the setbacks when the good Alexis Mac Allister picked him out within the penalty area within the sixty fifth minute, the Egyptian kept his composure and will have scored a very important goal within the title race.
“Imagine if Mo ended every situation in his career? It would be crazy, so it’s absolutely fine,” Klopp said.
“We need him to try. Mo, like the others, was in a bit of a rush to end the situation and didn’t do it to the best of his ability.
“But such composure at the decisive moment and the best chance we had after the best football we played means we are real goalscorers, so we are happy with everything.
“Darwin (Nunez) opened up so many spaces, Lucho (Diaz) was amazing, everyone was really good today.
“Their centre-halves were outstanding and it was just a really good game and against an opponent you know is going to be the hardest work.
“To defend them, you need the highest intensity in English football and we did well.
Being calm in the decisive moment and with the best chances we had after the best football we have played is the quality that makes a true goalscorer
Jurgen Klopp on Mohamed Salah
“From my point of view, it was Roberto’s best performance against Brighton. More possession, better possession, really good rhythm of play.
Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi is the bookmakers’ second favorite to replace the departing Klopp at the end of the season and, as far as auditions go, it was a decent effort.
Speculation about the Italian intensified when during the preparations he revealed that contract negotiations were currently suspended, but assured that it had no impact on his future.
“I still have two years on my contract. To work at Brighton next season, I don’t have to extend my contract for another year or two,” he said.
“I can stay and work in Brighton with or without an extension. Nothing has changed.
“At the moment we have finished discussing the contract, but not because I have decided to leave yet. NO? NO. This season and next, my focus is on Brighton.
“But before next season starts, I would like to hear the team’s plan. I think this is a serious matter.”
Despite the defeat, De Zerbi felt his team had done as much as they may at Anfield.
“We played against a great team. I think we played well. We played a good match, we missed too many shots, he added.
I think we had a chance to score in the second half, especially in the last 15 minutes, but until then we have to be proud of the performance because it was great to play without seven very important players who were injured and compete in the way we did.
“We are sorry about the result, but we showed everything we could today and there was no more we could do.”
Credit : www.independent.co.uk
