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Jurgen Klopp is confident Mohamed Salah’s goal drought is “completely normal” and promised his leading forward: “The moment will definitely come.”
Salah has not scored for Liverpool in over a month, and his past three goals have all come from the penalty spot.
Since netting in a 3-1 win over Norwich City on February 19, Salah has attempted 41 non-penalty shots without scoring in all competitions.
In that period, the 29-year-old missed out on qualification for the World Cup with Egypt following a penalty shoot-out defeat to Senegal. Egypt lost the Africa Cup of Nations final to the same team in the same manner earlier this year.
But Manchester United visit Anfield on Tuesday, offering Salah an opportunity to get back on track.
Salah scored a hat-trick at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture and has seven goals in his past five games against United in all competitions. Only Steven Gerrard (nine) has scored more Liverpool goals against United.
Regardless of that record, Klopp was encouraged by Salah’s role in a 3-2 FA Cup semi-final win over Manchester City in which he attempted three shots but only hit the target once.
The Liverpool manager said there is “no need” to discuss Salah’s dry spell with the player and added: “It’s a completely normal spell that Mo’s going through.
“We’ve spoken about all the physical demands he’s faced in the last few months, so it’s completely normal.
“I liked the game against City a lot. He played a really good, really good football game, so it’s only a question of time when he will score as well.
“He’s been unlucky in these little moments. He’s been close enough a couple of times. The moment will definitely come. I’m really happy with the form he showed last week.”
While Salah has struggled, Senegal superstar Sadio Mane has four goals in his past four games – including two in the cup win over City and one in the sides’ prior league draw – but Klopp revealed the winger was also having a hard time until that point.
“Sadio as well had some physical struggles since he came back,” Klopp said.
“The boy doesn’t feel it, Sadio doesn’t feel it, but we could see that he could not use his immense physicality just like this, week in, week out, or every two or three days.
“I really felt before the game against City: ‘Okay, he looks like Sadio physically.’ That’s it, that’s why he could play the game he played. He was super difficult to defend and very important in our defending.”
