´Wow, what a number´ – Klopp lauds Liverpool´s 40-goal Salah

Jurgen Klopp heaped praise on record-breaking star Mohamed Salah after the Liverpool forward celebrated his 40th goal of the season against Bournemouth.

Salah was on target in Liverpool’s 3-0 win over the Cherries in the Premier League on Saturday as he became the first Reds player since Ian Rush in 1986-87 to break the 40-goal mark in a season.

It has been a remarkable debut campaign for Salah following his off-season arrival from Serie A side Roma, who Liverpool will face in the Champions League semi-finals – the Egypt international leading the Golden Boot race with 30 Premier League goals ahead of Harry Kane.

Speaking about Salah post-match, manager Klopp told reporters: “It’s good, impressive. What a number, wow. And what a number of goals we scored as team, around about 100 as a team, I don’t know, didn’t count.”

Salah is five goals clear of two-time reigning Golden Boot winner and Tottenham striker Kane.

How many more for @22mosalah this season? pic.twitter.com/KSnXJe8ki2

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 14, 2018

“A completely normal boy in that situation wants to be top of the scoring list, Golden Boot, it’s completely normal, we will not be in his way,” Klopp said.

“He knows that the way we play suits him. You did see that the boys are looking and searching for him a little bit too much, it’s like ‘give it to him’, so we have to mix it up a little bit. He is the threat, but the ball is here, but it’s all good.

“He didn’t look today like he doesn’t want to score in the next few games.

“He isn’t distracted by this Golden Boot, he wants to have it but he wants us to be successful that’s how it is and if he does get the Golden Boot, it’s likely we are successful, so no problem with that.

“As a striker, you have to make decisions, if you score, everybody loves you, if you don’t score then, hmm… then people start discussing, so it’s all fine.”