LONDON – Mohamed Salah ruined Jurgen Klopp’s attempt to play down a touchline spat at West Ham United on April 27, claiming there would be a “fire” if he spoke about the clash following Liverpool’s 2-2 English Premier League draw.

The Reds were desperate to bounce back after a painful midweek loss in the Merseyside derby at Everton and Klopp dropped Salah to the bench in an attempt to jolt his weary team into form.

Liverpool recovered from conceding an opener to take a 2-1 lead midway through the second half at the London Stadium.

But Michail Antonio effectively ended their faint Premier League title hopes when he headed an equaliser in the 77th minute.

Salah had been waiting to come on before Antonio’s goal and was involved in an animated conversation with Klopp, appearing to be angry with his manager.

It ended with fellow substitute Darwin Nunez being forced to push teammate Salah away before they entered the fray.

“We spoke about it in the dressing room and that is done for me,” said Klopp, in the final weeks of his Anfield reign.

Asked if Salah was okay with it, Klopp claimed: “That was my impression.”

However, when Salah walked past reporters and was asked to stop, he admitted: “There’s going to be a fire today if I speak.”

A journalist asked: “Fire?” And Salah replied: “Yes, of course.”

The Premier League’s all-time record goalscorer Alan Shearer sided with Salah, saying he “understood” the 31-year-old’s reaction.

The former England striker said on the BBC: “We don’t know what Klopp has said to him there. He’s said something that’s riled him.

“He’s obviously got the right hump with being left out and probably rightly so, even though he hasn’t hit the heights that Mo Salah has done over the years. He’s been an unbelievable player. 

“He ignores Jurgen, he gives the Liverpool fans a little round of applause and goes straight down the tunnel... I understand that if Mo has the right hump because the amount of times he’s been Liverpool’s superstar and their saviour. 

“He’s got 17 goals in 25 league starts. Anyone else, you’d look at that and think ‘unbelievable’. It’s a shame it’s going to end like that because of what Klopp’s done and what Salah’s done.”

Salah has struggled to hit top form in recent weeks, scoring just once in his past six matches.

The Egypt forward has been linked with a move away from Anfield at the end of the season, with Saudi clubs understood to be interested in his signature.

Former Rangers striker Ally McCoist told TNT Sports: “He has been one of the best players we have seen in this league... but his form has dipped and it looks to me like he might be moving.

“It might suit both parties – suit Salah to move on and Liverpool to reinvest the money they get for him.” AFP