Klopp backs misfiring Salah after crucial Liverpool winner،
Jürgen Klopp said Mohamed Salah delivered when it counted for Liverpool after the striker scored just one of 12 chances to seal a 2-1 Premier League win over Brighton at Anfield on Sunday.
Salah's second-half strike, after being released by Alexis Mac Allister's precise pass, completed a Liverpool fightback after Luis Díaz had earlier canceled out Danny Welbeck's second-minute opener for the team by Roberto De Zerbi.
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The Egypt international has missed the most chances in a Premier League match since Zlatan Ibrahimović missed 12 while playing for Manchester United against Burnley in October 2016.
But despite Salah's uncharacteristic wastefulness, Liverpool manager Klopp paid tribute to the striker's ability to score the team's winning goal.
“I imagine Mo [Salah] would have ended all those situations in his career, but it would have been a crazy number,” Klopp said in a post-match press conference.
“The finishing wasn't as good as he could have done, but he stayed calm with the best chance we had and that's the sign of a great goalscorer.
“It was an incredible ball [from Dominik Szoboszlai]. It's creativity and quality, seeing that. He sees Macca [Mac Allister] and his first contact is incredible and then he sees Mo.
“As we were wasteful at all the other times, it was good to have that moment of great football to end the game.”
Despite falling behind in Welbeck's opener, Liverpool avoided falling prey to title jitters by keeping their cool to equalize and then win the game.
Klopp said his team and the club's fans are not as nervous as they were in previous title fights.
“In terms of nervousness as a unit, we were even more nervous years ago,” Klopp said.
“We would be up 1-0 and no one would calm down until it was three or four-zero.
“It will be hard and the heart rate will be at 180 [to] 200 every now and then, but if we like it, we have a chance. If we don't do this, it will be much more difficult.
“That's why we have to stay positive in these situations. We are up there with two other teams to win the biggest prize in English football, but we will really try to enjoy it.
“It was the first of the last 10 [games]so let's continue.”
