Izuchukwu OkosiLiverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists that Mohamed Salah’s excellent performance against Newcastle United Monday night came as no surprise as the Reds now have a three-point cushion at the top of the table after the 4-2 win.
Salah signed off for the Reds before heading to the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivorie with a double which saw him reach the 150 goal-scoring mark in the Premier League.
Salah missed a 22nd minute penalty before he scored in the 49th minute, tapping the ball into the net from a reading cross by Darwin Nunez.
The ‘Egyptian Messi’ then converted from the spot four minutes into the second half for his 151st goal.
“We should not be really surprised that Mo can change a game, can improve in the game, because he did it hundreds of times,” Klopp told the media late Monday night.
But it’s just a really good example. The more goals you have, the more you’re used to missing chances and the more you just understand what you have to do keep going and if necessary keep improving, using the situations better, and that’s what Mo did.”
Former Chlesea and AS Roma star Salah will join up with Egypt for their African Cup of Nations and is currently joint-top goalscorer in the league with Manchester City’s injured striker Erling Haaland on 14.
“It’s not superstitious because I play with many boots. But when I feel it’s going to play with my head, okay, out, change the boots,” Salah said.
“Tonight the atmosphere was absolutely exceptional in how we all took together, these missed chances,” Klopp said.
“It was not like ‘Oh my god, what are they doing?’ and I would understand that in moments, but everybody was just really on fire and we go again, we go again, we go again and we did.
“So, super game from start to finish, super high intensity.”
Klopp lost his wedding ring while celebrating Salah’s second goal with his players but eventually found it, much to his relief, as he grinned to the camera and kissed the ring.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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