There is a lot of weight on Mo’s shoulders but I know he will finish strong
KLOPP UNFAZED BY RECENT LACK OF GOALS FROM STAR MAN SALAH
MO SALAH has scored just one goal in his past 11 outings and battled with the pressure of being Egypt’s talisman in their failedWorld Cup qualification campaign.
But manager Jurgen Klopp insists his star forward is ready to finish the season strong and help fire Liverpool to more silverware.
It has not been an easy few weeks for Salah, with contract negotiations at Anfield also looming over him.
And Klopp feels there has been a hangover effect from Egypt losing to Senegal in a World Cup play-off last month – not long after they suffered a final defeat in the Africa Cup of Nations to the same team.
Salah’s only goal in 11 games for club and country came from the penalty spot against Brighton.
But in last Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Manchester City, there were flashes of his best in the second half – most notably when he set up Sadio Mane for the equaliser.
Ahead of today’s FA Cup semifinal with City at Wembley, Klopp feels his main man is ready to rediscover his best. Salah’s record against the ‘Big Six’ this season is seven goals and three assists in nine games – it is on these types of days that he thrives.
“The problem we have is that in January he had the most intense period in his whole career,” said Klopp of the Africa Cup of Nations which lasted almost a month. “The tournament went until the wire. They played in the final, they had all these 120 minutes and the role he has is super, super massive.
“There is a huge responsibility on his shoulders with dressing room meetings and stuff like this, with no recovery at all. “Then you have the issue of being a superstar in your own country and everyone wants something of you.
“But now we are in a period where there is no down [time] and that is completely normal.
“The boys here are focused every day. I know that Mo will finish strong.
“It’s just at the moment we have to reset, because each game for us is a final. From the beginning of January, that is crazy.”
The fact Liverpool have managed to keep pace with
City and secure semi-final places in both the Champions League and FA Cup, with Salah not firing on all cylinders, shows they can spread the goals around.
It may be daunting for their rivals to know that the striker is ready to reach his best again.
But Liverpool are in this position without really hitting top gear as a team yet either.
City lead Liverpool by a point at the top of the Premier League after their draw at the Etihad.
Klopp said: “If we can deal with our own mistakes in games, if we can deal with problems in games, improve and judge them right and use them right, then it is more healthy.
“So, we have to grind out results? Yes. Sorry.
“We need a bit more luck against City than City had against us.We neededAlisson more than they needed Ederson, that is true. But there is no problem.
“We didn’t play our best game. City were closer to what they are really good at. We know that.
“But imagine if we do play good football. Imagine how that could look.
“Just stay in the situation, stick to the process, do what we do and try to improve. And go again.”