Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah warned that “there will be fire” if he were to speak out, following a touchline disagreement with manager Jurgen Klopp during their 2-2 Premier League draw at West Ham.
The confrontation occurred as Salah was about to be substituted into the game in the 79th minute.
Klopp declined to reveal the specifics of their exchange, but former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch commented on TNT Sports that the incident “doesn’t look good for the club.”
“Salah is a player who has started the majority of games for Liverpool and he will be fuming to be on the bench,” Crouch said.
“But no-one likes to see this between a manager and a key player.”
Salah appeared agitated by something Klopp said to him as he was about to enter the game, and looked keen to continue the dispute before teammates Darwin Nunez and Joe Gomez intervened and led him away.
The draw effectively ends Liverpool’s hopes for the title. They now sit third in the league standings and their only remaining chance hinges on Arsenal and Manchester City losing points.
In a video on social media, Salah, as he was walking through the media area after the match, said: “If I speak there will be fire.”
A reporter asked “Fire?” and Salah replied: “Yes, of course.”
Klopp said later: “We spoke about that in the dressing room and it’s done for me.”
Klopp is set to depart at the end of the season, and this week Liverpool agreed to a compensation package worth up to £9.4m with Feyenoord for their manager Arne Slot.
Speculation is also swirling about Salah’s future at Liverpool. Having scored 210 goals in 346 matches over seven years, his contract is due to expire at the end of next season. There were rumors last season linking him with a move to Saudi Arabia, and these rumors have started to resurface.
Former Rangers striker Ally McCoist commented on TNT Sports: “He has been one of the best players we’ve seen in this league—absolutely fantastic for Liverpool—but his form has dipped, and it looks to me like he might be moving.”
“It might suit both parties – suit Salah to move on and Liverpool to reinvest the money they get for him.”
Salah has scored 24 goals in 41 games for Liverpool in all competitions this season.
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live that the argument was a “clash of egos”.
“You have two people who are equally important to the football club,” he said.
“The connection between the two has to be of respect, and respect how they have helped each other’s careers.
“With Mo Salah being pushed out a little bit, he doesn’t like that.”