LIVERPOOL (AFP) – Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said Mohamed Salah wants to remain at Anfield after scoring in a dominant 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.
Dominik Szoboszlai, with his first goal for the club, and Matty Cash’s own goal put the Reds in command before Salah added a third after half-time.
Liverpool reportedly turned down an offer worth up to GBP150 million from Saudi side Al-Ittihad for Salah this week.
“I never had any doubt about his commitment to this club,” said Klopp after Salah scored his 188th goal for the club.
“You can’t imagine how much fuss the world has made but how calm we are with it. He is our player and wants to play here.”
Victory takes the Reds to within two points of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
But it was the manner of victory and a return of 10 points from a tricky opening four games of the new season that will have Liverpool fans dreaming of a title challenge once more.
Either side of Liverpool’s first title in 30 years in 2020, Klopp’s men missed out on the title to City twice by a solitary point in 2019 and 2022. However, last season they slumped to fifth in the Premier League to miss out on Champions League football for the first time in seven years.
A return to the top four looked like it could be the limit of Liverpool’s ambitions for the new campaign after a difficult summer in the transfer market led them to miss out on a number of targets.
Klopp has had to completely rebuild his midfield, but new signings Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister have slotted in with ease.
“Absolutely it was a top game, best for a while,” added Klopp. “I don’t know when it was last that convincing.”
Salah was a constant threat and there is little doubting Liverpool’s firepower up front with Darwin Nunez now finding his feet after a difficult first season.
