Jurgen Klopp says he has moved on from his altercation with Mohamed Salah during Liverpool's 2-2 draw at West Ham | Ange Postecoglou is realistic on Spurs gatecrashing fourth spot; Watch Liverpool vs Tottenham on Sunday, live on Sky Sports from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm
Friday 3 May 2024 17:56, UK
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists there is no problem between him and Mohamed Salah after their touchline spat at West Ham last weekend.
In his press conference after the 2-2 draw, the Reds boss said everything had been sorted out, only for Salah to walk through the mixed zone saying: "There's going to be fire if I speak."
But almost a week on from that episode, Klopp said it was nothing particularly out of the ordinary.
"It is completely resolved. It is no problem. If we wouldn't know each other for that long I don't know how we would deal with it, but we know each other for that long and respect each other," Klopp said.
"I think we have the right to deal with these things completely independent of any expectations from the outside. It is a non-story. In general everyone is in the best possible place.
"We win the games, we score loads of goals, then the situation would have probably not been exactly like that because Mo would not have been on the bench in the first place. It all depends on each other."
The flashpoint sparked speculation about Salah's future, as a player who is 32 in June has just over one year left on his lucrative contract.
However, as Klopp is leaving the club at the end of the season, he would not get drawn into a discussion about the star forward.
"You all have to get used to the fact that is not my subject," he added.
"Mo, as a player, is incredible and I don't think I should speak about that. Other people will decide that, especially Mo.
"I don't have any signs it will not be like that (wanting to leave). I just try to prepare the basis for the future."
Ange Postecoglou has acknowledged Tottenham are a long way off being able to challenge for the Premier League title but believes the squad will grow from the current pain they feel.
Spurs suffered a third consecutive defeat on Thursday night in losing 2-0 at Chelsea, which followed a 3-2 reverse at home to Arsenal last Sunday and a four-goal thrashing away to Newcastle midway through April.
Those results have halted Tottenham's top-four bid and sparked questions over whether Postecoglou still remains on the right path to bring overdue success to the club.
Ahead of Sunday's trip to Liverpool, Postecoglou said: "We're a long way off but it doesn't mean we can't challenge next year.
"I think in terms of the team I want us to be, we're a fair way off, but I'm not dismissing the fact that we have to be competitive and challenge for success every year I am here.
"I'm not going to dismiss any year as just a building year. Every year is a building year to get to where we want to, but it's also an opportunity for us to have success. As it was this year and we've fallen short of that.
"Every job I've taken has had tough bits. Sometimes at the start, sometimes in the middle, sometimes at the end.
"Nothing surprises me and it's a necessary part of it. It's how you grow. You don't grow by thinking everything's going to run smoothly. You need to go through these times and find out about yourself."
Postecoglou has shuffled his pack in an attempt to get Spurs out of their current slump, with Yves Bissouma on the bench against Arsenal while James Maddison dropped out of the starting line-up at Chelsea.
The experienced Australian coach cut a frustrated figure at Stamford Bridge but rallied around his squad on Friday morning ahead of the next stern test against Klopp's Liverpool.
"I'm sure they're hurt but it's also part of the process. It's not going to change, you're not going to have less derbies next year," Postecoglou said.
"The big games will always be big games and you need to feel the pain, but understand that that sort of intensity will always be there when you're representing this football club.
"I don't think anyone has shirked it and I don't think it's for a lack of effort or desire. But, like I said, if you haven't been put in that situation before it's confronting, challenging and it's how you navigate your way through that.
"Sometimes it's on an individual basis. My kind of role in that is always the collective, about the environment, how we can create an environment that they feel like they can embrace that challenge.
"Last night was disappointing from a defensive pressing aspect because that has been pretty consistent all year, so that was the one area I was really disappointed with. But, in general, the lads were still trying to play and embed our principles."
May 5: Tottenham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 13: Aston Villa (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
May 19: Wolves (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4pm
May 5: Liverpool (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 11: Burnley (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 14: Man City (H) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
May 19: Sheffield United (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4pm
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