LONDON — Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp praised Mohamed Salah after he netted twice in their 2-0 Merseyside derby victory over 10-man Everton in the English , saying the team’s talisman has the ability to score even on less-than-perfect days.
Salah broke the deadlock with a 75th-minute penalty and then scored again deep in extra time for a remarkable 13th consecutive game at Anfield with either a goal or an assist.
“What I love most about Mo, well of course Mo Salah’s numbers, but what I love the most is that I think Mo Salah has played an incredible amount of fantastic games — today was not his best game,” Klopp said according to Reuters.
“We need somebody who brings the ball over the line. And he was that again. I couldn’t respect that type more.
“And it’s absolutely outstanding, his numbers are crazy. He will never stop. That’s his nature. And that’s really cool for us.”
Salah slotted home a penalty past Everton keeper Jordan Pickford to break the deadlock after Michael Keane was penalised for a handball, then doubled Liverpool’s advantage deep in stoppage time.
Klopp’s side provisionally climbed top of the standings on 20 points in the Premier League’s first game of the weekend, while Everton are 16th.
Sean Dyche’s side, who have just one victory in their last 29 clashes with Liverpool, did well to keep their rivals at bay for much of the game after Young was sent off in the 37th minute with his second yellow card for a mistimed tackle on Luis Diaz.
Klopp’s side provisionally climbed top of the standings on 20 points in the Premier League’s first game of the weekend, while Everton are 16th.
“It’s a derby, and it will not decide how you end up on the table at the end of the season, but it has an impact like all the other games, but it’s much more tense, there’s a lot more emotion in, so that’s why the relief in this moment is really big,” Liverpool manager Klopp told BeIN Sports.
Salah has either scored or assisted in every one of his last 13 Premier League appearances at Anfield, a home streak topped only by Alan Shearer (18) and Thierry Henry (17).
“Consistency is the most difficult thing in football,” Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said of Salah on TNT according to Reuters.
“To do it each and every game … big players step up when we need them and we’re very pleased for him and very pleased for our football club.”
Klopp was clearly delighted after his side’s first win in three league matches, pumping a victorious fist to the cheering Liverpool fans.
Manchester City got back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion thanks to first-half goals by Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland.
After back-to-back league defeats, City were cruising to victory but Ansu Fati’s 73rd-minute reply for Brighton made it an anxious finale at the Etihad Stadium.
City held out, though, to earn a 21st successive home victory in all competitions — a record for a Premier League club.
Back to Sean Dyche’s side, who has just one victory in their last 29 clashes with Liverpool, did well to keep their rivals at bay for much of the game after Young was sent off with his second yellow card for a mistimed tackle on Luis Diaz.
Young’s ejection marked the 23rd Premier League red card in the impassioned Merseyside derby.
“Sending off happens,” Dyche said. “I think the first (yellow) is touch and go, the second yellow is a yellow, that’s the way it goes. And then second half, we wanted to change the shape and I thought that went really well, we wanted to take the sting out of the game.
“And then of course, the penalty changes it. The penalties, I don’t like the modern rule but I’m aware of it, it hits your arm it’s a penalty. I preferred it when it had to be a deliberate act.”
Everton’s frustrations increased when Liverpool centre back Ibrahima Konate stayed on the pitch after escaping a second yellow card when he pulled down Beto in the second half.
“We got lucky with that one!” Klopp admitted.
Liverpool dominated but were mainly restricted to shots from distance, including a blistering first-half effort from Salah that sailed inches over. Trent Alexander-Arnold also launched a rocket that spun just over the bar a few minutes before the break.
They got the breakthrough when Keane’s outstretched arm blocked Diaz’s cross and Salah thumped the penalty into the corner, leaving Pickford no chance.
They then made the game safe when substitute Darwin Nunez broke free and played a perfectly timed pass to Salah, who calmly slotted home.
Liverpool were missing defender Andy Robertson, who is expected to undergo surgery on his shoulder injured while playing for Scotland last week.
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