Mohamed Salah looks like a player who ‘maybe feels like he made the wrong call last summer’, Ian Ladyman tells It’s All Kicking Off! – as Chris Sutton claims Jurgen Klopp was RIGHT to drop the out-of-form Liverpool star

Mohamed Salah might regret his decision not to leave Liverpool last summer, Mail Sport’s Ian Ladyman suggested in the latest episode of the It’s All Kicking Off! podcast. 

Salah’s form has somewhat dried up towards the end of the season after a brilliant campaign that had looked set to fire Liverpool towards an unlikely quadruple in Jurgen Klopp‘s final season. 

However, the Reds are now out of the FA Cup and Europa League, while their Premier League bid seems to have come to an end three games early after another draw away at West Ham on Saturday. 

Salah was dropped to the bench for the game, and when introduced in the second half tempers appeared to flare as Klopp and the Egyptian forward had a furious spat on the touchline. 

Salah then perhaps stoked the flames with his post-match comments, telling reporters: ‘If I speak there will be fire!’

‘If I speak, there will be fire,’ Salah told reporters when walking through the mixed zone

Mail Sport’s Ian Ladyman suggested Salah looked like a player that might feel they made the right decision in last summer’s transfer window

On Monday’s episode of It’s All Kicking Off! Hosts Ladyman and Chris Sutton discussed the issue, and the former claimed he had ‘sympathy’ for Klopp after Salah’s ‘totally unnecessary’ comments, as well as indicating there might be some regret from the player at not pursuing a move away last year. 

Ladyman said: ‘I wonder a little bit if Salah may just be feeling the frustration of somebody who feels he made a bad call last summer. If you remember when we started doing this podcast way back in August towards the end of the transfer window, there was an awful lot of talk about Salah going to Saudi Arabia, wasn’t there? 

‘Right until the deadline, there was a panic on at Anfield about Salah going. He didn’t go. And I wonder now whether he thinks “Blimey. I stayed, I showed a bit of loyalty, and all I’ve got to show for it is a Carabao Cup medal and a season in the Premier League that’s fallen off a cliff”. 

‘I’m not saying that’s right, but I wonder if that’s in his mind a little bit, which is why we’re seeing a Mo Salah that we don’t recognise on the field. 

‘Salah looks to me at the moment like a bloke who maybe feels like he made the wrong call last summer.’

The Egyptian star was linked with an eye-watering move to the Saudi Pro League last summer, though he has reportedly given ‘no indication of wanting to exit’, while there was claimed to be ‘no suggestion of internal concern’ over his outburst at Klopp.

According to The Athletic, Liverpool bosses are still planning on Salah being part of the squad next season, with the club fully expecting him to stay this summer.

Co-host Sutton then argued that Klopp had ‘every right’ to drop the forward as a result of his recent form. 

The Reds saw their faint Premier League hopes all but disappear at the London Stadium

Co-host Chris Sutton then suggested that Klopp had every right to drop Salah from the team

The No 11 is Liverpool’s top scorer this season with 24 in 41 appearances, with 17 of those coming in the Premier League, however the usually mercurial forward has only scored three times in the top-flight since New Year’s Day.  

‘From Jurgen Klopp’s perspective, he wanted to finish the season strongly and Salah’s form has fallen off a cliff. So on that basis, he’s every right to drop him. It’s nothing personal,’ said Sutton.

‘Jurgen Klopp has had a career in management because he’s been able to make strong decisions and in the best interest of the team. So in that respect, I think Mo Salah having a strop, he’s out of order. 

‘He can’t expect to be treated differently to other players, whatever his goal scoring record is, you’re treated basically as a footballer on form and his form hasn’t been good enough.’

He added: ‘I just don’t like it because Klopp’s been a brilliant manager, brought so much to the Premier League. When Salah first went to Liverpool, nobody could see his numbers. Over 200 goals, however many assists, the impact he’s made season after season.

‘I just hope that’s the last we’ve seen of this spat between Klopp and Salah. And when the dust settles, they’ll probably end up laughing about it. I hope.

‘I have to say that Klopp’s farewell tour of the Premier League now feels a little bit like one of those breakups that’s just taking far too long. It has a certain sadness and a certain melancholy to it at the moment. 

‘I hope that picks up and changes between now and the end of the season. I hope Liverpool can find some performances, remind people a little bit of what they really are and what they have been under Klopp and that he can enjoy his final home game at Anfield against Wolves.’

Saturday’s clash was the second time in three matches the Egyptian has started on the bench

Salah’s future will be one of the big decisions facing incoming Liverpool boss Arne Slot

Salah’s future will be one of the major decisions facing Arne Slot, with the Feyenoord boss expected to appointed as Liverpool’s new manager.

Slot has been targeted to succeed Klopp following a thorough search for a successor led by Michael Edwards, the CEO of Football at owners Fenway Sports Group.

He will join a new structure under Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes.

Salah is among the stars set to enter the final year of their contract next season, along with captain Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.