Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp says that Leicester City winger James Maddison spoke with Salah before the latter missed a double penalty in the "Liverpool" loss yesterday against the "Foxes" with a clean goal in the Premier League.
He added that "all the players are trying to distract the penalty kicker, to confuse him and distract him."
Klopp refused to blame Salah for missing the penalty, but said, "There is no blame on him or anything else... Usually (Mo) scores from these situations, but tonight he didn't."
While Salah was preparing to tackle the kick, Madison approached Salah, and addressed several words to the Egyptian star in an attempt - apparently to distract his focus - which actually happened, so Salah wasted the kick after he hit it in a way that was not the best.
🥅 Mohamed Salah misses his second penalty kick in the Premier League and the first since October 2017 against Huddersfield# Premier League |
#LeicesterLiverpool #PremierLeague |
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The rare waste of Salah, who played one of his worst matches this season, was strange, as Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel saved the penalty kick to return the ball to Salah facing the goal and the goalkeeper on the ground, but the Liverpool scorer was unable to score after the crossbar was blocked for his second attempt.
Wonder what James Maddison said to Mo Salah before his penalty?
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It is the third kick he misses in his career with Liverpool, the first was in 2017, against Huddersfield in the Premier League, and the second against Milan in the Champions League in 2021, and the third in Tuesday's match against Leicester City.
🎙️ Mohamed Aboutrika: “I am upset with Mohamed Salah.” The big players are not affected by the #English Premier League |
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— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) December 28, 2021
The situation worsened for Liverpool after Leicester City scored the winning goal in the second half, to bring Liverpool to the second defeat this season, and move away from leaders Manchester City by a full 6 points.
On the other hand, the former Egyptian football star, Mohamed Aboutrika, said, "I am upset with him (Salah)? After the penalty kick, he fled the ball and was afraid of it, and he is not a small player. You are the best player in the world. He participated in the ball from the middle of the field. He dealt with the matter in a way. Normal".
And he continued, "In such cases, it is necessary to touch the ball, and the opportunity that he missed in front of Schmeichel came by chance, and perhaps if it was with his confidence and calm, to put it in the goal in his usual way, and I think we have all gone through this stage, and you want to miss a penalty and drop your level sometimes, but The great player is never affected."
The Egyptian star is the top scorer in the English Premier League with 15 goals, and the list of decisive passes with 9 assists.
And the "Reds" could finish 2021 in third place, a full 9 points behind the lead, if - tonight - Manchester City beat Brentford, and Chelsea avoided losing against Brighton.