Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp reveals he asked Mohamed Salah to do something that he has never asked a player to do before during Europa League demolition of Sparta Prague

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made a request of Mohamed Salah that he has never made of any other player during Thursday’s win over Sparta Prague.

The Egypt international scored in the 6-1 Europa League demolition to bring up his 20th goal of the season, becoming the first player in the club’s history to reach that mark in seven successive campaigns. 

He completed his first 90 minutes for the first time in two months but Klopp admitted that he wanted to take him off earlier and that asked him to do something unique as the game went on.

Speaking to TNT Sports, the German said: ‘It was not the plan he plays 90 minutes, the plan was to take him off when we brought on Mateusz (Musialowski) but Bobby Clark said (he felt something) and Mo is experienced enough that he recovers during the game.     

‘I told him not to defend any more – I never told a player that before.’

Klopp went on to praise his star man, saying: ‘In seven years together with him, the one problem we never had was consistency,’ said Klopp after the Egypt international’s first start since New Year’s Day after a hamstring injury.

‘Mo is just delivering and delivering and delivering, his desire doesn’t stop, his quality is there and his desire to score doesn’t stop.

‘He has improved in so many aspects since he started here. That’s how it is, he will not stop.

‘I’m less surprised than maybe some others, I thought it had already happened to be honest but he was injured for a while, otherwise he would have done it in January or February. But great, very good, and great to have him back.’

Salah played the full 90 minutes for the first time in two months against Sparta Prague

Salah also provided two assists for Bobby Clark and Cody Gakpo, who scored twice, with Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai also on target.

Liverpool progressed to the quarter-finals 11-2 on aggregate after an early blitz ruled out any remote hopes of a comeback from the Czech champions.