Keeping Salah crucial to Kop revival for Klopp
JURGEN KLOPP has admitted it’s a major priority to ensure unsettled Mo Salah remains at Liverpool.
In a season cursed by injury, erratic results and poor form, Kop boss Klopp has seen Liverpool’s title defence collapse in spectacular fashion.
Salah’s electric form has been one of the few positives with the Egyptian striker top of the Premier League scoring charts with 17 goals so far and 24 in all competitions from 35 games.
Despite Liverpool struggling to perform like champions, Salah has been the one constant – and the African star has even managed to outscore European giants Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
He is now said to be looking for a bumper pay upgrade on his current deal which runs until June 2023.
So far that’s not materialised with Salah, 28, reportedly disappointed Liverpool are stalling on a big new offer.
But with speculation still swirling about his future, Klopp has hammered home his importance to the team this season – and beyond.
“Both are very important – to the team now and that he stays here with us in the future,” he said.
“It’s not often that I have to praise my own players which, of course, I always like to do. But in Mo’s case the numbers just speak for themselves. “But Mo is not only a
goalscorer – he’s developed football-wise as well in his time here.
“He is a very, very important player for us and hopefully will be that for a very long time.”
Klopp has revealed he has tried to lift the spirits of his struggling stars by telling them how good they still are.
He added: “I did it last season but now the situation is different. It’s not the same idea behind it like then but yes, I still show the good things as well just because I want to keep the team confident and results right now cannot give us confidence, that is clear.
“So where do you get confidence from? It comes from the good things in a game.
“So as long as we can keep them on the pitch we will play good football.
“We have to play successful football and for that we need to emphasise that the performances and situations must be better.
“As long as my team shows me that they really want the football, have the desire to win or change the situation I am completely on their side because then the rest we can change.
“That is not always in the time frame the outside world wants – but still you can change it and that is what we are trying.”
Klopp reckons Liverpool have more in common with tonight’s opponents – relegation-threatened Sheffield United – than it appears.
He said: “Our analysis of Sheffield United shows that in the last seven or eight games they have been much better than before.
“They weren’t using their own chances and for the opponent it was enough just to have one chance to score.
“It’s a similar situation to us. They’re not there, not because they are completely underperforming but because in decisive moments, like us, they didn’t do enough things right.
“That’s a situation both of us have to change.”