Liverpool were held to a disappointing draw against West Ham United on Saturday afternoon.
With the Reds title hopes already realistically over, the stalemate at the London Stadium was another sign that this team just aren’t quite there yet.
In truth, they never really looked like winning. Having conceded the game’s first goal yet again, Liverpool did rally to get themselves ahead.
Andy Robertson was at the heart of the fightback and was one of the few Reds players to come out of the game with much credit.
But as poor as Liverpool were again, the main story of the match was Jurgen Klopp’s decision to keep Mohamed Salah on the bench. As we saw later in the game, that call may have come back to haunt the manager.
Mo Salah and Jurgen Klopp argue on touchline
Something has not been right with Salah for a little while now. His touch is all over the place, he looks to have lost half a yard and he can’t hit a barn door at the moment.
So, when Klopp left him on the bench, we don’t think he had too much right to be upset.
Nevertheless, pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft posted a video before the game which looked as if Salah was indeed sulking at his manager’s decision.
That came to a head later in the day. With Klopp preparing to make a triple substitution and bring Mo on, West Ham equalised. Footage then captured Salah and the boss arguing very heatedly. And speaking to TNT Sports after the game, Crouch admitted that he’d have been ‘fuming’ in the Egyptian’s position, too.
“It didn’t look good,” said the pundit after reviewing the footage. “I mean, listen, I can’t lip-read, I can’t say what exactly they are saying, but it didn’t look good. I don’t think it looks good for the club.
“Listen, Mo Salah is a player who has started the majority of games for Liverpool, right. He will be fuming. I have been in that position. I would be fuming to be on the bench. I think players like that who expect to start are never happy. But no one expects to see this on the sidelines.”
Who is to blame for Salah spat
We’re sorry Mo – and Crouchy too – but we’re completely with Jurgen here. Obviously, we don’t know what was said between the pair, but you cannot challenge the manager in that way.
Salah absolutely deserved to be on the bench after what we’ve seen from him recently. There’s a question mark if he’s completely fit, but the 31-year-old has been way off it of late.
As Crouch points out, Mo usually starts every game, and rightly so. But he shouldn’t be immune to being dropped if he’s out of form. And he is right now. Badly.
With Salah likely heading for the exit door along with Klopp this summer, it is a sad way for two club legends to bow out.
There’s still time to repair things though, and that’s what must now be done.
