Struggling Liverpool not distracted by Mohamed Salah's contract situation

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah

Tuesday Jan 26, 2021. 11:00

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is confident that speculation regarding Mohamed Salah’s future at the club won’t distract the Reds in their continued bid to defend the Premier League title they won last season.

The Reds beat Crystal Palace 7-0 before Christmas, but have only scored one goal since and are winless in five Premier League matches.

A 1-0 loss to Burnley on Thursday ended the club’s long-standing unbeaten record at Anfield as they subsequently fell six points behind league leaders Manchester United, who also knocked them out of the FA Cup on Sunday.

Rumours linking Salah with a move to either Barcelona or Real Madrid reignited just last month when he voiced his disappointment at not being named captain for a Uefa Champions League match against FC Midtjylland.

Salah, who spoke glowingly about the two Spanish giants, is still contracted to Liverpool until 2023 but rumours linking the 28-year-old with a move away from the club continues to linger.

When asked whether Liverpool could be affected by Salah’s situation, Klopp said as quoted by the Daily Mail: “I don’t think so. That’s a normal thing as well in the world of football.

“It’s not that we go out and talk about things we think are important, it’s pretty rare. But we get asked questions and we answer and that’s the story and (it looks like) we started the conversation.

“In most cases, it’s not like that. No, I don’t think it will disrupt the season.”

Salah scored a brace in Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat away to United in the FA Cup but hasn’t scored in the league this year. The Egypt international has scored 113 goals in 180 matches since his move to Anfield from AS Roma four years ago.