Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp delivered a unique instruction to Mohamed Salah to stop defending, one he has never given before
Jurgen Klopp admitted that he asked Liverpool star Mohamed Salah to stop defending, an instruction he has never given before. Salah has recently returned from a muscular injury that he suffered right after a hamstring injury during the AFCON competition.
The 31-year-old has continued his prolific career for Liverpool despite changes in his style of play to compensate for his age. A hamstring injury followed by muscular problems has sidelined Mohamed Salah for the first time in his Liverpool career for an extended period.
Liverpool beat Sparta Praha 6-1 at Anfield in the second leg of the Europa League round 16. They won the tie with an 11-2 aggregate, their biggest aggregate win in a European competition for over four decades.
The Egypt captain played a crucial role in the victory, providing three assists and scoring a goal during the game. Salah completed the full 90 minutes, surprising many fans and pundits as he recently returned to full fitness.
Klopp told reporters (h/t Liverpool Echo) that he made a special request to Salah to stop defending during the game. He said:
“Mo is a special story, it was not the plan that he plays 90 minutes, the plan was to take him off when we brought on Mateusz but Bobby sat in front of me and it was clear Bobby had to go off. But Mo is experienced enough that he recovered already during the game. I told him not to defend any more, I don’t think I’ve ever said that to a player before – might be different on Sunday!”
Salah has been Liverpool’s best finisher and best creator this season, playing a completely different style of football. The reason for his changes is both tactical and to compensate for his age after a slight drop in pace.
The 31-year-old has relied more on his dribbling and pace while playing as an inside forward, dropping narrow in possession. However, this season he has relied more on link-up play with teammates, technical prowess and creativity.
Mohamed Salah is the first player in Liverpool’s 131-year history to score 20+ goals across all competitions in SEVEN consecutive seasons.
— Squawka (@Squawka) March 14, 2024
Seven-season wonder of the world. pic.twitter.com/dNLLF0OwnB
The Egypt captain has successfully adapted to his new tactical changes while continuing to produce an incredible number of goals. Salah has scored 20 goals and provided 13 assists from 31 appearances in all competitions this season.
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The Egypt captain is essential as Liverpool is near the final stages of the season after already securing the Carabao Cup. The Reds are currently hunting for every trophy with Salah playing a key role in their ambitious chase.
