Klopp launches stern Salah defence after striker’s emotional message

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists Mohamed Salah’s emotional message to the fans after their failure to secure Champions League qualification was ‘completely normal’.

The Reds harboured faint belief they could snatch a late top-four berth after their recent surge, but Manchester United’s emphatic victory over Chelsea dispelled those hopes.

Salah, who has been Liverpool’s star performer this season, took to his social media to express his disappointment at how the season panned out in an emotional message to the Anfield faithful.

Salah is arguably Liverpool’s player of the season after racking up 19 goals and 11 assists. But his contributions were inconsequential in the grand scheme of things as the Reds ultimately fell short of the top four.

The Egyptian has now been backed by his manager, who believes the striker was right about his immediate assessment of a disappointing campaign.

“It’s completely normal,” Klopp said in a press conference ahead of Liverpool’s final Premier League fixture against Southampton.

“I don’t think that [Salah’s message last night] was one of them. It was just a normal description of the situation of his feeling.

“And, in that moment directly after the game, he’s right – there’s not immediately a moment to send any optimistic messages.”

Klopp seems unfazed by the prospect of featuring in Europe’s second-tier tournament next season. He has been repeatedly optimistic about the challenge of playing in the Europa League.

However, despite his attempts to quell speculation surrounding the players’ mood, Salah’s tweet suggests the dressing room is still reeling from the recent developments.

Sunday’s encounter with relegated Southampton has no bearing on the course of the season, with the positions of both teams already confirmed.

However, the Reds will be keen to get it out of the way and put the awful campaign behind them.