Klopp deserves Salah apologypublished at 14:02
Mohamed Salah fully deserves his place among Liverpool's greatest players, but the lack of respect he showed towards manager Jurgen Klopp at West Ham United was unacceptable.
Salah's disappointment at being left out of the starting line-up for the game against the Hammers is perfectly understandable for a world-class forward who hates missing a minute of the action, let alone a whole game.
This does not excuse, however, his very public altercation with Klopp, who saw his authority challenged in a manner that should bring an apology from Salah, for his petulance during Saturday afternoon's 2-2 draw.
Salah indulged in a prolonged, arm-waving disagreement with Klopp as he waited to come on as substitute, and the mood around the incident was not helped by the fact West Ham equalised before he could be sent on.
It also did not help that Salah, who a rarely offers anything more than a very polite "not today, thank you" to the written media after matches, followed Klopp's insistence that the matter was closed by saying: "There is going to be fire today if I speak."
Instead of dousing this "fire", his words poured petrol on the flames, whether intended or not.
If Salah has a grievance with Klopp, surely they are better aired in private rather than on the touchline during a vital game? It shouldn't be that the unseemly dispute is ended by fellow substitute Darwin Nunez stepping in as peacemaker.
Salah is idolised by Liverpool supporters, and rightly so, after scoring 210 goals in 346 matches since signing from Roma in 2017. He has played a pivotal role in the club's successes, but he is highly unlikely to be the one getting any sympathy from fans after his touchline row with Klopp.
And, for all of the 31-year-old's sustained brilliance and consistency from virtually the moment he arrived at Anfield, Salah could not build a huge argument against Klopp's decision to leave him out.
The German manager would never take such a significant move lightly and there is no question that the Egyptian has not been at his best in recent weeks, after picking up a hamstring injury, delivering a particularly poor performance in the 2-0 Merseyside derby defeat at Everton.
It has also reignited the debate about whether Salah, on £350,000-a-week and 32-years-old in the summer, will be sold as he enters the final year of his lucrative contract.
Liverpool turned away mega money from the Saudi Arabia Pro League last summer. They may yet feel it makes financial sense to accept it this summer, should the offer come in again, as they start a potential rebuild under Arne Slot.
Salah can still play his part in Liverpool's conclusion to the Klopp era, that is currently threatening to become an anti-climax, but Saturday was not the finest moment in his great career at Anfield.