The heated exchange between Liverpool star Mohamed Salah and Jurgen Klopp over the weekend was caused by a ‘touchline handshake snub’, according to reports.
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Salah, Klopp incident ‘exploded over a touchline handshake snub’
Salah didn’t start the 2-2 draw at the London Stadium over the weekend but was involved in an argument with Klopp when coming on as a second-half substitute.
And The Sun insist that the angry exchange ‘exploded over a touchline handshake snub’ with the Liverpool boss expecting a handshake from the Egyptian but eventually did a fist bump.
A source told the newspaper: ‘This has happened occasionally with Jurgen and other players.
‘He is very big on interaction with his subs before they go on and felt it didn’t happen at first with Mo.
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‘Mo was obviously annoyed at being left out of the team and wasn’t in the best of moods while Jurgen wasn’t happy with his behaviour.’
The source added: ‘The players were given a couple of days off after the match and are meeting up again on Tuesday.
‘It is hoped that by then tensions will have calmed down.’
Klopp saw the issue as “done” in an interview following the match but Salah told reporters: “There’s going to be fire today if I speak.”
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville reckons Salah’s situation will be helped by Klopp’s departure in the summer.
Neville told Sky Sports: “Unpleasant when you see [that between] an amazing manager and an amazing player.
“I had that at Manchester United a few times. There’s only one winner, but the problem is that the manager is leaving which helps Mo Salah a little bit.
“I think there might be a bit of a problem if it were to carry on for the rest of the season. Two massive personalities and characters.”
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Gary Neville: Salah’s not at his level
Salah, who has been linked with a £70m summer move to Saudi Arabia, was presumably dropped over his poor form with the Egypt international scoring just two goals in eight matches in all competitions.
Neville added: “I was at the Merseyside derby, and I’ve done a lot of Liverpool games recently and Salah’s not at his level. He’s been an amazing player and is an amazing player, but he was massively off it in the Merseyside derby.
“I mean, he didn’t touch the ball in the first half. What was noticeable, he’s right in front of me up against Mykolenko, I can’t remember him getting the ball. I think we showed that he had about five to six touches after 30-odd minutes.
“He wasn’t in the game, they weren’t getting him in the game. But Mo Salah usually gets in the game.
“In the second-half when Ashley Young comes on and actually goes to the left back for Mykolenko, who picked up that knock, and you’re thinking ‘right, OK. Here we go. He’ll fancy this, 1-0 down and Liverpool fighting to keep themselves in the title race. Local derby’.
“There was nothing from him.
“Mo Salah’s just hit a brick wall. You’ve got be careful, there was a player out here [in the north London derby] called Son that I think hit a brick wall probably about 18 months ago, where he looked like he was gone and he was struggling.
“These players play so much football they play so consistently and Salah has been almost ever present for like six or seven years. There just comes a point whereby you need a break.”
