Jurgen Klopp insists he is completely relaxed about his relationship with Sadio Mane after the forward snubbed post-match congratulations from his Liverpool manager.
A late decision was made in training to start Diogo Jota instead of the Senegal international for the 4-2 win over Manchester United and although he did come off the bench in the second half, Mane was in no mood to welcome an approach from his boss after the final whistle.
Klopp played down the suggestion his player had disrespected him.
“I cannot make a bigger story of it as it is,” said Klopp, who had not spoken to the player prior to Friday’s pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s trip to West Brom.
“Football is an emotional game and everyone expects from us to control our emotions always but it doesn’t work out always, that’s the case.
“It happened to me as a player, it happened to other players when I was their coach.
“Do you want these things to happen? No. But it’s not the first time in my life and I’m afraid to say it won’t be the last time.
“If somebody shows me five million times respect and one time not, what is then more important?
“If you had seen me as a player what I did out of emotion it was insane – and I’m a completely normal guy but it happened to me.
“We will talk about it, then it will be sorted. That’s all.”
While one of his forwards may be sulking for a day or two, another is riding a wave of confidence after Mohamed Salah brought up his 30th goal of the season at Old Trafford.
The Egypt international scored his 124th goal for the club in his 200th appearance – faster than Liverpool’s all-time leading goal-scorer Ian Rush – and only Roger Hunt, Gordon Hodgson and Robbie Fowler have scored more in their first double-century.
Klopp likened his “goal-scoring machine” to Robert Lewandowski, arguably currently the best centre-forward in the world, whom he signed for Borussia Dortmund before the Poland international moved to Bayern Munich.
“There’s Robert Lewandowski, who I signed for a different amount of money years ago who had an incredible development from a different level,” he said.
2⃣0⃣0⃣ games1⃣2⃣4⃣ goals4⃣2⃣ assists@MoSalah as a Red… simply incredible 👏👑 pic.twitter.com/Q3c6UZNiHK— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 14, 2021
“With Mo, from the guy who scores from time to time and is a really good football player to this goal-scoring machine is a massive development.
“He is an outstanding signing, but for sure the way he developed, the way he treats himself, the game preparation, the training preparation, training attitude and all these kind of things, that’s exceptional.
“That’s a real role model and he deserves all that, absolutely.”
While Liverpool are still chasing Champions League football next season Klopp welcomed a change to television scheduling which will see the Saturday lunchtime kick-off moved to 7.45pm if a team is playing midweek in Europe.
“I am sure my voice had nothing to do with that but it’s just the right thing to do. I think it’s an absolutely great decision,” said the Reds boss, an outspoken critic of previous timings.
Despite his form – his second-best goalscoring campaign in his four years at Anfield – Salah has so far failed to make any pundits’ team of the season.
Klopp felt the player was possibly not fully appreciated despite being a two-time Golden Boot winner.
“Yes of course. I don’t know what they did, who they picked. You have to make decisions,” said the Reds boss.
“Obviously it is a strong league so Mo plays again an exceptional season and if he could have played on a more consistent level then his numbers would be different – so even better.
“I can’t have any influence on it if he is sometimes under-appreciated, yes, but that’s the world and other people make decisions about that.
“I’m not sure if it is the most important thing but would he deserve it? Yes.”
