After Liverpool’s 7-1 win against Glasgow Rangers in the Champions League, Jürgen Klopp would have liked to praise all his players – but of course the main interest was in record hat-trick scorer Mohamed Salah.
Three goals in six minutes and twelve seconds, that has never happened in the history of the premier class. “Special. Typical Mo,” said Klopp after the important victory of the recently anything but convincing Reds. “The whole thing was very important. (…) It’s obviously an extraordinary result and we all know it and shouldn’t make more of it, but it’s the best we could have wished for and that’s why I’m very happy. “
The Egyptian Salah only needed nine ball contacts after coming on as a substitute for the goals in the 75th, 80th and 81st minute. Roberto Firmino (24′, 55′) previously scored twice for the Reds after Scott Arfield (17′) put the Scottish record champions ahead. Darwin Núñez (66′) increased before Salah’s entrance and Harvey Elliott (87′) scored the final.
Manchester City comes with ex-BVB star Erling Haaland on Sunday
Remarkable: All three goals for Salah’s hat-trick were prepared by Diogo Jota – according to the data service provider Opta, this has not been the case since Franck Ribéry gave his team-mate Mario Gomez all the goals in his hat-trick for FC Bayern against FC Basel in March 2012.
In any case, the atmosphere in the Liverpool dressing room was good. “We usually drink a beer after away games, but that was so long ago that I’m probably already drunk after one,” said Klopp before the important Premier League duel with Manchester City for ex-BVB star Erling Haaland, who after nine Premier League games with 15 goals.
“It certainly changed the mood and that’s good, but we all know who we’re welcoming to Anfield on Sunday and it’s going to be a different game,” Klopp predicted: “But it’s better in a game like that to go with the feeling we have tonight than with any other.”