Record-breaking Salah 'a man' now - Klopp

Published on: 20 November 2017

Jurgen Klopp has said Mohamed Salah is a now thriving as a "man" at Liverpool having been a "kid" during his unsuccessful spell at Chelsea.

After signing from Roma for what was a club-record fee in the summer, Salah is currently the top scorer in the Premier League, with his double for Liverpool against Southampton on the weekend taking his league tally to nine goals.

Liverpool missed out on the forward in 2014 when he opted to join Jose Mourinho's Chelsea from Basel -- where he would only go on to score two goals in 19 appearances at Stamford Bridge before leaving in 2015.

When asked if Salah sought revenge when returning to England with Liverpool, Klopp said: "I don't think it's like this.

"Maybe it was one reason he came back, but he's not like: 'Now I will show you the real Mo Salah.' He's completely relaxed. For sure he wanted to show a little bit he's better than that, but everyone knew it already.

"He was a kid when he came to Chelsea, and we have heard a few times that's quite difficult, and in that time they were really successful. It was quite difficult to come through.

"A little bit less muscle, a little bit less physical, and you fly through the Premier League -- not like he's flying now -- but one bodycheck, you understand. With his body shape that's now different. He's a man now, he was a kid at Chelsea, now he's a man. That's good."

On what else has changed with Salah since his two-and-a-half seasons in Serie A with Fiorentina and Roma, Klopp added: "Physicality. He is top fit. He's settled in.

"Even when we lose, this is still a fantastic club. At Melwood, it is easy to feel well and comfortable. This is quite special. I don't know a lot of English clubs, but this is really special here. All the other boys liked him from the first day without him performing already.

"They knew they had a really good player in the squad. And that's it now."

Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Meanwhile, Jordan Henderson says Salah's record-breaking start to the season is showing no signs of slowing up.

Salah has scored 14 goals in 18 appearances in all competitions so far this season -- the most of any player in Liverpool's history at that stage of their Anfield career, according to the Liverpool Echo.

"I just want him to keep going and, to be fair, he hasn't took his foot off the gas," Henderson told the club's official website.

"He's kept working hard in training, scoring goals, working hard in games -- it's not just his goals, it's his work-rate as well, which helps us as a team.

"He's been brilliant for all the season so far but he's got to keep it going, along with other players."

Source: espn.co.uk

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