Jurgen Klopp hails 'all-time great' Mohamed Salah as 'absolutely exceptional' as he nears Liverpool goal landmarks

Jurgen Klopp has praised Mohamed Salah as an “all-time great” and one of the best players he has ever coached.

Salah scored his 199th goal for Liverpool last week in a 4-0 UEFA Europa League win over LASK.

He is also one short of 150 Premier League goals, a landmark he could reach when Liverpool play Sheffield United on Wednesday.

Salah has been an integral player during Klopp’s time at Liverpool and has won the Premier League Golden Boot three times.

“A player with his numbers I’m not sure I will ever coach again,” Klopp said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

“His whole development from the first talks we had to the talks we have now, as a man, is an incredible and very impressive development and growth – and as a player as well. Absolutely exceptional player, all-time great. No shadow of a doubt.

“I was blessed to have a few good ones, to be honest, but he is right up there and the numbers are super special.”

Salah wasn’t on the scoresheet at the weekend as Liverpool won a thriller against Fulham.

Instead it was Trent Alexander-Arnold who played a starring role by scoring a late winner, having been deployed in midfield rather than defence.

“Trent can play midfield, we all knew that and he can play the role really well,” added Klopp.

“If he wants to be good he has to be influential from all different areas because it makes us better.

"Trent became one of the most successful players in the history of Liverpool. In the recent history, he became a Premier League player as a right-back so he will play wherever it’s best for us and that's just how it is and Trent sees it exactly the same way.

“He wants to play. And from my point of view he has to be influential and we have to make sure we help him with the positioning. That’s it.”

Liverpool are second in the league, two points behind leaders Arsenal.

Klopp said the win over Fulham was "very important", but is not ready to talk about Liverpool being in the title race yet.

“Of course our late winner was very important for everything, absolutely everything. That’s true. [It’s] nothing to do with a title-winning season, but if you can do that every week it’s pretty likely you would win the league, we just didn’t already. We missed a few opportunities to do that.

“I don’t think a second about where we could end up. [It’s] what I said before. We have to be there, where we are now, until April.

“If we are still there then we can talk about whatever is possible now, but I have no clue where we will be in April, to be honest. [It’s] the toughest period of football…it’s so tough what is coming up now. It’s absolutely nothing to think about [and] think ahead of the next game. There’s no chance.

“So, we focus on Sheffield United, go for it, play the best possible game and keep going.”

Liverpool play Crystal Palace on Saturday, live on TNT Sports.

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