MY ACCOUNT
Jurgen Klopp has no concerns about Mohamed Salah’s form as Liverpool prepare to face Benfica in a Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.
Salah has been outstanding for the Reds this season amid speculation over his future, scoring 28 goals in all competitions.
The Egypt forward, who has just under 15 months remaining on his contract, has only found the back of the net once in the past eight matches for club and country, however, and that was from the penalty spot against Brighton and Hove Albion.
You have to go back to February 19 for Salah’s last goal from open play in a victory over a Norwich City side that are rock bottom of the Premier League.
Klopp is not worried about Salah’s lack of goals of late and says the 29-year-old and Sadio Mane are bound to have felt the strain after being away on Africa Cup of Nations duty and returning to help Liverpool battle for an unprecedented quadruple.
And the German stressed that the former Roma and Chelsea man provides more than just goals.
Asked about Salah’s form, the Reds boss said: “He might not have scored from open play or whatever, maybe a penalty here or there, that’s not too important.
“The performance level is important for me, the threat he is for other teams. How he brings players together in moments when he gets the ball, maybe two or three players are going for him in these moments.
“Sometimes he could decide in a better way, no doubt about that, pass the ball quicker and all these things. But it’s a tough period for Sadio and Mo, with the Africa Cup and coming back being immediately available for us again with all the games.
“That was really, really special and it’s completely normal in a season that you have these little [gestures ups and downs]. There are not big changes, but it’s still there and we see him every day in training, we see him playing obviously and there’s nothing to worry about apart from that we have to manage the physical part as well.
“These players will not come to me and ask me for a break, so I have to give them the break in a specific moment. Hopefully we use that little break and we go again.”
Liverpool are strong favourites ahead of the first leg at Estadio da Luz, but they have lost their past three away games against Benfica.
Klopp, who has a fully-fit squad to choose from, says there is no margin for error as his side go for glory in the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup after already lifting the EFL Cup.
“We all know one failure, one little misstep, and at least one competition can be gone,” he said. “That’s no problem for us, we’re just ready for the next challenge.”
Salah has scored eight goals for Liverpool in the Champions League this term, and could become the first player to score 10 or more times in multiple seasons for the club in the competition.
