Klopp-Salah spat mars Liverpool setback
Liverpool fell further out of contention for the English Premier League title on Saturday.
That’s perhaps the least of Jurgen Klopp’s problems.
Just as upsetting for the outgoing Liverpool manager in a 2-2 draw with West Ham might be a touchline confrontation with his star forward, Mohamed Salah, that Klopp tried to play down after the match.
Salah, not so much. “There’s going to be a fire today if I speak,” the Egypt winger said as he left the Olympic Stadium.
The incident happened as Salah was preparing to enter as a substitute soon after Michail Antonio’s 77th-minute equalizer. It was the second time in Liverpool’s last three games that Salah has been benched, an unusual position for one of the club’s greatest scorers who has rarely been dropped in his time at Anfield.
Whether Salah remains at Liverpool beyond this season remains to be seen — he was linked heavily with a move to Saudi Arabia last year — but Klopp is sure to be going. With three games left in the league, his successful Liverpool tenure might be ending on a sour note.
The latest setback came after recent losses to Crystal Palace and Everton, and left the team in third place — two points behind Arsenal and one off Manchester City. They both have games in hand over Liverpool.
“Do they look like they will lose two or three games?” Klopp said of Arsenal and City. “No, I don’t think so but honestly I am not angry or whatever. I don’t think about it.”
While Liverpool’s title dreams are looking remote, Sheffield United’s faint chances of staying up are officially done. A 5-1 loss at Newcastle confirmed Sheffield United as the first team to be relegated from the top flight this season. The Blades are 10 points from safety with three matches remaining, ensuring they will be going straight back to the Championship.
“We have not been good enough,” said manager Chris Wilder, who took over in December for a second spell in charge after Paul Heckingbottom was fired. “The league has been too powerful for us right the way through the season.
“It’s an incredibly young side and there is a complete lack of leadership out there.”
Newcastle, in seventh place, closed the gap to Manchester United to one point and looks increasingly like securing qualification for a European competition next season.
Alexander Isak scored two of Newcastle’s goals and has 19 for the campaign, one behind joint leaders Cole Palmer of Chelsea and Erling Haaland of Man City.
There were more jeers for Manchester United and underpressure manager Erik ten Hag in a 1-1 draw at home to relegation-threatened Burnley.
Substitute Zeki Amdouni’s 87th-minute penalty — earned after he was bundled over by United goalkeeper Andre Onana — cancelled out Antony’s goal in the 79th and secured a point for next-to-last Burnley, which is two points from safety.
Boos greeted the final whistle at Old Trafford, having earlier echoed even louder around the stadium when youngsters Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Hojlund were substituted midway through the second half.