West Ham star reveals Klopp’s question to Liverpool star Salah after manager was ‘slapped’
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 were dealt a further blow against West Ham as Klopp’s side were held to a disappointing draw.
Andy Robertson’s goal shortly following half-time levelled the game after Jarrod Bowen broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute. An own goal by Alphonse Areola saw Liverpool go ahead but Antonio found the net with around 15 minutes remaining to make it 2-2 and that was how it finished.
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Shortly after Antonio scored, Salah was brought on as part of a triple substitution but before he entered the field, he clashed with Klopp.
Professional lip reader John Cassidy has broken down how the incident unfolded for Sport Bible. “When Klopp tried to shake hands with Salah, Salah just feebly slapped Klopp’s hand.”
Salah is then accused of having said: “There’s nothing I can do about that, nothing.”
Cassidy added: “Klopp’s reply was obscured, indicating Salah wasn’t ready as quickly as Klopp liked it to be. Klopp walked over and irritated Salah by saying something to him.”
The exchange apparently finished with Salah saying: “I will, I will get a red card, after seven years, after seven years’ service, after seven years!”
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“Klopp didn’t like that…”
Antonio has now offered his version of the touchline clash unfolded. According to the West Ham star, Klopp asked Salah whether he wanted to “sit back down” after “slapping” his manager’s hand.
“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,” Antonio said on The Footballer’s Football Podcast.
“As the [Liverpool] players come on, Klopp always gives them a big hug and says ‘good luck’, but when Mo came on he walked in a different direction and was doing his shinpads and stuff like that. Klopp has put his hand out to him and his hand was there for a bit and as Mo stopped doing what he was doing, he just slapped his [Klopp’s] hand as a high five.
“Klopp didn’t like that and he was like, ‘Do you want to sit back down?’, basically saying, ‘Do you want to go on?’. And nobody has told me what Mo said back.”
More: Liverpool | Jurgen Klopp | Mohamed Salah
