Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says he understands Mohamed Salah’s frustration at getting substituted during Sunday’s 1- Premier League draw with his former club Chelsea.
The Egyptian assisted Luis Diaz for the opening goal at Stamford Bridge to extend his tally on the opening day of the season to 12 goal involvements (eight goals, four assists) before Axel Disasi equalised for Chelsea. Salah had put the ball in the back of the net but it was ruled out for offside.
Salah was taken off in the 77th minute for Harvey Elliott and did not look pleased with it. Klopp stated that the 31-year-old is never happy when he is substituted but stressed on the importance of making the substitution nonetheless.
A masterpiece of a move, finished off @LuisFDiaz19 ????
That @MoSalah assist by the way ???? pic.twitter.com/B7zkIpcVrn
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 13, 2023
“No, I didn’t have a conversation yet with him. Actually, I don’t think you ever saw Mo leaving the pitch happily – I can’t remember it [and] that’s OK, absolutely OK,” Klopp said on the club website.
“…Obviously, I didn’t think in that moment about it, I didn’t even know about it, that if he scored in the game it would’ve been an all-time record [on the opening day], so I understand his disappointment.
“But, I am the manager of the whole team and in that moment we needed fresh legs. I think that made real sense for us and it is never anything to do with Mo or whatever or against him, of course not. Ninety-nine per cent of the things we achieved were because of him or with him. That he was not happy was clear, I understand that and there is no problem.”
Salah will be looking to open his Premier League goal account for the 2023-24 season when Liverpool host Bournemouth on Saturday.
