Liverpool Boss, Klopp Reveals Salah & Mane Worry

ADAM POWERS

Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp, was worried about Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane during side’s 5-0 battering of Huddersfield on Friday night.

Liverpool rolled over the already-relegated Terriers with consummate ease under the Anfield lights, with Salah and Mane bagging braces to aid their individual hunts of the Golden Boot.

Neither player was pulled for preservation ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final away to Barcelona despite the game being settled by half-time, when the score was 3-0.

Jurgen Klopp explained his decision to leave both players on the pitch after the game when speaking to Sky Sports.

“It’s difficult,” he began. “I didn’t want them to chase back and stuff like that.

“Both looked really good and were running with each ball. You think: ‘What the heck are you doing?’ But it’s good.

“Today was a day where you have to leave then on the pitch and manage the game in a very offensive way, which they did.”

Liverpool did not take long to get in their stride, opening the scoring after seconds when Jon Gorenc Stankovic was dispossessed by Naby Keita.

The Guinean’s pressing gifted Salah the ball, and marksman laid it off to Keita, who slotted home for the Reds’ quickest ever Premier League goal.

Mane consolidated the lead midway through the first half, heading home a typically pinpoint cross from the perpetual Andy Robertson.

With the game already looking done and dusted, Salah lobbed Jonas Lossl shortly before half-time to move onto 20 goals for the season.

That tally was matched by Mane in the second half, who once again sprung highest in the area to this time impressively convert a header from the right, supplied by Jordan Henderson.

Salah then regained his spot atop the Premier League scoring ranks in the 82nd minute, tucking in from close range to round off the rout.

There was clamour online for Liverpool to go for the Terriers’ jugular in the second half, with the slim possibility of goal difference deciding the title race in mind.

When asked by Gary Neville whether he mentioned that factor to the players, Klopp replied: “No, that’s an obvious thing. It’s clear.

“I really think before a game like this if you mention… I said you can make a couple of mistakes and one of the biggest things is talking about the result.

“’What do we think about 1-0? Yes, happy? Good, me as well. Because it’s the only thing we need, the three points.’

“If you start thinking who could score when then we have a massive problem.

“The boys did really well until the last five, six minutes and then it’s normal [to ease off].

“It’s good, they enjoyed it and it’s really good we could change like we changed. It’s a perfect day and we won this game in a very impressive manner.”