According to West Ham United star Michail Antonio, Jurgen Klopp asked Mohamed Salah a blunt question as they clashed at the weekend.
Salah’s form has declined in recent months and he started on the bench last Saturday as Liverpool travelled to the London Stadium to face West Ham.
Liverpool's slim Premier League title hopes took a hit in a game against West Ham, ending in a disappointing 2-2 draw. Liverpool's Andy Robertson scored just after halftime, leveling the score after West Ham's Jarrod Bowen opened the game with a goal in the 43rd minute. Liverpool then took the lead thanks to an own goal by Alphonse Areola, but Michail Antonio scored for West Ham with around 15 minutes remaining, leading to a final score of 2-2.
In the aftermath of the equalizer, Mohamed Salah was brought on as part of a triple substitution. However, a minor clash occurred between him and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp before he entered the field. According to professional lip reader John Cassidy, who analyzed the incident for Sport Bible, when Klopp tried to shake hands with Salah, Salah "feebly slapped Klopp's hand." It's suggested that Salah said, "There's nothing I can do about that, nothing." Klopp's response was obscured, but his reaction seemed to indicate that he expected Salah to be ready sooner than he was.
This small conflict reflects the frustration within the Liverpool camp as they struggled to secure critical points to keep their title hopes alive. The encounter between Klopp and Salah may signal growing tensions, possibly tied to the team's recent struggles and the pressure on star players to deliver results.
Shortly after Michail Antonio scored, Mohamed Salah was brought on as part of a triple substitution for Liverpool in their Premier League match against West Ham. However, before Salah entered the field, he had a brief clash with his manager, Jurgen Klopp.
Professional lip reader John Cassidy analyzed the incident for Sport Bible. According to Cassidy, when Klopp extended his hand to shake with Salah, the Liverpool star "feebly slapped Klopp's hand." Cassidy suggests that Salah then said, "There's nothing I can do about that, nothing." Klopp's reply wasn't clear, but his body language implied he wasn't satisfied with Salah's response, perhaps because the player wasn't ready as quickly as Klopp expected.
West Ham's Michail Antonio provided his take on the incident, sharing what he heard on "The Footballer's Football Podcast." Antonio claimed that Klopp asked Salah if he wanted to "sit back down" after the lackluster handshake. Antonio described the situation, saying, "Basically—this is not inside information, nobody has told me anything—but what I have heard is what the boys have been talking about on the training ground." He explained that Klopp typically gives his players a big hug and wishes them good luck when they come on, but when Salah was preparing to enter, he walked in a different direction, focusing on his shinpads and other gear. When Klopp extended his hand, Salah merely slapped it, which appeared to irritate Klopp.
This incident could suggest underlying tension in the Liverpool camp as the team struggled to secure crucial points during the season. The minor touchline clash between Salah and Klopp points to potential communication issues, perhaps exacerbated by the team's recent struggles and the pressure to perform in the Premier League.
