Michael Owen has slammed Jurgen Klopp shouting at Mohamed Salah to “pass the ball” during Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Brighton on Saturday, talking to Premier League Productions (12/03/22 at 2:30 pm).
Liverpool have been here before with Salah and Sadio Mane, but Klopp felt that, after racing past Yves Bissouma at the Amex, the Egyptian flyer should have cut the ball back to his teammate.
Instead, Salah fired the ball at Brighton keeper, Robert Sanchez, who ended up saving his effort at goal.
On the touchline, Klopp could be seen screaming at Salah and continually telling him to “pass the ball”.
Owen slammed Klopp’s actions and made it clear that, if he saw his manager do that, he wouldn’t be happy.
“First of all, Mo Salah did absolutely everything right,” said Owen. “How on earth can he pass the ball there? Or at any stage of his run.
“I know he has previous – but I don’t think Mohamed Salah could do anything. But Jurgen Klopp’s reaction ‘pass the ball, pass the ball’. He’s not happy.
“I would be disappointed if I was a player. I wouldn’t be happy. There’s no way he can pass the ball. He did everything right. Strength. Come across his man. Yes, it’s a tight angle, but the options weren’t there.
“If I was watching on the TV afterwards, and I saw my manager doing that, I would be thinking ‘I did everything right.’”
In truth, when Salah is sitting second on the Premier League’s assist charts this season – on ten – then not many can complain about him possibly being selfish.
Salah’s creativity in the final third has improved tenfold and the £34 million signing (BBC Sport) does pass the ball a lot more than people think.
Of course, moments such as the one at the weekend and that game away at Burnley a number of seasons ago will have a spotlight put on them.
But, at the end of the season, Salah will be top of the goalscoring charts, and if it wasn’t for Trent Alexander-Arnold, then he might just top the assists charts also.
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