Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp warned Mohamed Salah not to resort to diving but backed the Egyptian to rediscover his scoring touch ahead of the Champions League final.
After 11 goals in seven games during a stunning stretch of form, Salah has now gone three matches without a goal over the past week.
The Professional Footballers’ Association and Football Writers’ Association player of the year looked heavy-legged in Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat against Chelsea on Sunday and was booked in the first half when he fell to the ground easily under minimal contact from Gary Cahill.
Referee Anthony Taylor immediately showed a yellow card. Afterwards, Klopp urged Salah to cut such antics from his game and also highlighted that he suffered by coming up against his former Roma team-mate Antonio Rudiger.
Klopp said: ‘Now we have played twice against former team-mates. It was the same before against Roma, before the game they are very friendly and say “Hello Mo, how are you?” and hug here and there. But then during the game… the same with Rudiger today.
‘Yes I think it was a dive, was it? Or he waited for the contact, I am not sure, so that is not what I want to see, that is not what he wants to do. But obviously it happened. With all the other situations, in that situation he couldn’t get any foul any more. That is not right as well. It was always like this and you have to deal with that.
‘He has to be much better, he can do much better and he will score again, there is no doubt about that. There was no space for nothing. He can play with no space actually but not today. That is it, all good.’
Chelsea’s victory has condensed the battle for top four places, with Antonio Conte’s side now just two points behind Tottenham and three points behind Liverpool. Chelsea have a game in hand on Liverpool, and, if Conte’s team beat Huddersfield on Wednesday, Liverpool will remain ahead of Chelsea courtesy only of their goal difference. Tottenham also have two games to play.
Conte admitted that he had come close to giving up hope on a top-four finish.
The Italian said: ‘One month ago it was impossible to imagine we’d arrive at the end to fight for a place in the Champions League. Now there is hope.
‘We are getting three points in every game. Our opponents are dropping points. But our future is not in our hands. We have to win to put pressure on the teams ahead of us.’
But Klopp reminded Chelsea that they must still fulfil their part of the bargain by beating Newcastle away on the final day.
Liverpool host Brighton next week.
Klopp added: ‘Newcastle is not a holiday trip. It doesn’t sound like a holiday trip for me. What did I want today? A 3-0 win then forget about Brighton and prepare for the final. Did I think it would happen? Not sure. The boys showed their outstanding character.’
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