Klopp pays tribute as Salah ends barren run with two goals in Reds’ victory over Hammers
Jurgen Klopp saluted Mohamed Salah for the "super smart" strike which ended his barren run and put Liverpool on their way to a 3-1 victory at West Ham.
Salah had gone six Premier League matches without a goal, equalling his longest goal drought for the Reds.
But there was to be no seventh successive blank as Salah returned to form with two exquisite second-half finishes in a valuable win at the London Stadium.
Salah made the breakthrough in the 57th minute after substitute Curtis Jones found him lurking on the right of the area. The Egyptian striker wrapped his left foot around the ball, sending it looping over Hammers goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and curling into the back of the net. Eleven minutes later Liverpool, and Salah, struck again with a lightning counter from a West Ham corner. Trent Alexander-arnold's 60-yard pass found Xherdan Shaqiri, who sprayed the ball back into the path of Salah to control and tuck away.
Georginio Wijnaldum then added a third for the champions before Craig Dawson's late consolation.
Reds boss Klopp said: "He scored against Tottenham but it was disallowed, but it was a good sign for him that a couple of things are clicking.
"Tonight he played a super game, his passing was good and the controlling of the game was good.
"The first goal is a super smart goal. I think Fabianski couldn't see the ball, it was crowded and he just lifted it.
"The second goal, what a counter attack! Two passes until Mo got the ball, first touch world class and a nice finish. Top game and top goals."
Meanwhile, Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers admitted his side felt the absence of Jamie Vardy and Wilfred Ndidi as the Foxes slipped to defeat against Leeds.
However, Rodgers is confident of signing a midfielder before Monday night's transfer deadline and addressing that lack of strength in depth in his squad.
Top scorer Vardy missed a second match as he recovers from hernia surgery, while Ndidi was absent after suffering a slight hamstring tear in midweek. Both players are set to be out for around another two weeks, during which time the Foxes could play another three Premier League matches, including hosting Liverpool at the King Power Stadium, and their FA Cup fifth-round tie against Brighton.
Against Leeds, Leicester lacked physicality, by Rodgers' own admission, and the threat in behind the defence that Vardy offers.
They led through Harvey Barnes' strike but an immediate reply from Stuart Dallas and second-half goals from Patrick Bamford and Jack Harrison sealed a 3-1 victory for Leeds.
"I think we've been on a fantastic run and it was always going to come to an end at some point. We weren't quite ourselves today, but you also have to give Leeds credit and they deserved to win," said Rodgers.
"I think you could see that there were certain moments where we missed those two players (Vardy and Ndidi), they are quality for us. There were areas we needed more physicality, but we have won games without these two players.”