If I Speak There WWill Be Fire – Mohamed Salah Responds To Jurgen Klopp Row
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah made a mysterious reference to “fire” following his touchline disagreement with Jurgen Klopp during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with West Ham United. Despite the Reds’ efforts, they faced an uphill battle for the Premier League title after a lackluster performance at the London Stadium, where Jarrod Bowen’s diving header gave West Ham an early lead.
Although Andrew Robertson’s deflected shot and an Alphonse Areola own goal briefly turned the tide in favor of Klopp’s men, their vulnerability to aerial threats resurfaced in the second half, leading to Michail Antonio’s equalizer for West Ham.
Klopp opted to make five changes to the starting lineup for the match, with Salah among those left out of the first XI. However, Salah’s introduction in the second half was marked by a brief and seemingly tense interaction with Klopp on the touchline, where he distanced himself from the coach and teammates while awaiting his entry into the game.
A heated exchange between Mohamed Salah and Jürgen Klopp on the sidelines just before West Ham's equaliser 😳
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Salah hinted at potential controversy with his statement, “There will be fire if I speak,” following a heated exchange with Klopp. After a missed opportunity by West Ham, Klopp approached Salah, which led to a verbal confrontation between the two that lasted several seconds.
Nunez and Gomez intervened to calm Salah down, but he quickly pulled away from Gomez’s grasp. Despite storming down the tunnel after the game and not stopping to speak to journalists in the mixed zone, Salah made headlines with his brief comment.
With a smile, Salah stated, “There’s gonna be a fire today if I speak,” and responded “of course” when a reporter questioned him about it. Despite his recent goal drought in the Premier League, Klopp defended Salah after a glaring miss against Atalanta BC in the Europa League.
Klopp addressed the touchline altercation with Salah during his post-game press conference but chose not to delve into the details, indicating that the matter was resolved from his perspective. “We discussed it in the dressing room, and for me, it’s in the past,” Klopp informed reporters, adding, “That was my sense,” when asked if Salah had also moved forward from the incident.
The disappointing draw against West Ham followed reports of Liverpool’s agreement with Feyenoord regarding compensation for head coach Arne Slot, who is set to succeed Klopp in the summer. Meanwhile, Salah’s contract situation has sparked speculation, with his current deal expiring in 2025. Rumors suggest that clubs from the Saudi Pro League may present lucrative offers for the winger in the upcoming transfer window.
Despite occupying the third position in the table, Liverpool risks falling seven points behind Manchester City and five below Arsenal if their title rivals capitalize on their games in hand. A loss to Tottenham Hotspur on May 5 could effectively end Liverpool’s hopes of clinching the title.
