Mo Salah needs more protection from referees, claims Jürgen Klopp
Jürgen Klopp has called for Mohamed Salah to receive more protection from referees after saying it is “crazy” how few free-kicks the forward is awarded when fouled.
The Liverpool manager believes it is inexplicable Salah does not get given more decisions and wrong when he is branded a diver.
Although only Alexandre Lacazette and Ivan Toney have won more penalties in the Premier League than Salah this season, some 114 players have drawn more fouls than the Egyptian, with officials penalising opponents for only 20 challenges on Salah in 26 matches. On average he is awarded a free-kick only every 110 minutes this season, even though he has the fourthmost touches in the final third and the highest number in the 18-yard box.
“It is absolutely crazy how low the number of fouls is against him,” Klopp said. “So he has constant contact [from defenders] and is going down all the time, having to get up again. The statistic is that Mo is the one player who is fouled the least compared to other [top] strikers. Honestly, you have to ask the refs; I don’t know because we constantly think he gets fouled. He gets confronted with the [claim] that someone calls him a diver. That is an absolute shame.
“We don’t get even close to the number of free-kicks that we should have. You must ask other people how that is possible because he is the guy who is constantly with the ball around the box and there is no foul: interesting. How is that? It is just not possible.”
Salah came off in Saturday’s win at Brighton with a minor foot problem but is fit to face Arsenal on Wednesday and keep up his record of not missing a game through injury since 2019. Klopp praised him for his determination and durability. “Mo is a tough cookie,” he said. “He is very professional and desperate to play every game. He has worked on his body as well. There are players who are more vulnerable than others but Mo obviously has the right attitude, the right mindset and the right body for it as well.”
Victory would put Liverpool one point behind Manchester City, after the leaders were held at Crystal Palace on Monday, with a meeting against Pep Guardiola’s team to come in April. “Win every game, we win the league?” Klopp said. “That’s actually the best news; the only problem is the word ‘if’ is wonderful information. It’s in our hands but it’s still pretty slippery.”
Klopp feels City remain favourites but has vowed to irritate them in their pursuit. “That is the plan, that we keep being as annoying as possible,” he said. “We try to win all of our games. It is really difficult, but we try. It is final after final after final after final after final after final that we play. Now everything is in front of us: attack it, chase it, go for it.”