West Ham forward Michail Antonio reveals cause of Salah-Klopp rift

The fallout from Mohamed Salah’s argument with Jürgen Klopp continues to unfold, with West Ham star Michail Antonio shedding light on the exchange between the Liverpool forward and manager.

Michail Antonio provided further insights into the altercation, disclosing details of the incident that occurred during Liverpool’s recent match against West Ham.

According to Antonio, Salah deviated from the customary pre-match ritual of receiving a hug from Klopp upon entering the pitch. Instead, Salah focused on preparing himself, prompting Klopp to extend his hand for a handshake.

However, Salah merely slapped Klopp’s hand, prompting the manager to inquire if Salah wished to remain on the bench. Antonio’s account sheds new light on the heated exchange between the two Liverpool figures.

“So basically, this is not inside information, but what I have heard, this is what the boys have been talking about on the training ground,” Antonio said on the Footballer’s Football podcast, per Liverpool.com.

“Klopp usually gives them a big hug, but when Mo came on he walked in a different direction and did his shin pads and stuff. Klopp put his hand out to him and his hand was there for a bit and he just slapped his hand.

“Klopp didn’t like that and was like ‘Do you want to sit back down?’, basically saying do you want to go on? And nobody has told me what Mo said back.”

While tensions may have flared during the match, reports suggest that Salah is set to stay with Liverpool next season, indicating a potential resolution to the dispute.

As Liverpool approaches their remaining fixtures under Klopp’s tenure, including a crucial match against Tottenham, all eyes will be on Salah’s performance and his relationship with the manager in the aftermath of the incident.