Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has explained his decision to take Mohamed Salah off in the 1-1 draw at Chelsea in their Premier League opener.
Salah was replaced by academy graduate Ben Doak in the 77th of the game at Stamford Bridge, having hit the crossbar and seen a goal ruled out by VAR for offside.
The Egyptian, who could have become the Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer over opening weekends assisted Luis Diaz for the Reds’ opener before the Axel Disasi levelled for Chelsea.
“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.
“Today, 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 has scored 186 goals and recorded 80 assists in 306 appearances for the Reds – helping the club to several titles including the Champions League, Super Cup, Club World Cup, Premier League, and FA Cup.
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