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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Theo Squires

Jurgen Klopp hints at Mohamed Salah change and Man City message he's told Liverpool squad

Jurgen Klopp has kept his cards close to his chest regarding Liverpool's formation and the role Mohamed Salah could be utilised in ahead of the Reds' clash with Man City on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola's side currently sit second in the table, 13 points clear of Liverpool, with Erling Haaland returning a sensational 15 goals from just nine games. In contrast, the Reds are down in 10th with three-time Golden Boot winner Salah registering only two Premier League goals.

However, the Egyptian came off the bench to score the quickest hat-trick in Champions League history against Rangers in midweek, to take his overall total to the season to eight goals. And with the forward introduced in a central role at Ibrox as opposed to his usual station on the right, Klopp expects the 30-year-old to remain flexible regardless of which position he is selected in.

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"It (the hat-trick) helps for sure. The goals were all different," he told reporters. "I think he learned from the first game against Rangers. We know they help. The best thing you want for your strikers is they score and they all scored or were involved in goals.

"In this game, it was a change we made because Mo came on, Harvey stayed on the pitch and we didn't change system. He can play the position, no doubt about that, but he can play a wider role as well.

"In the moments he finished, he was more central. But it was still his space. Especially for two goals. When he set up the goal for Harvey, he was more flexible and that's the flexibility we need in our offensive moments. But it's not so different.

"Whichever system we play, for finishing you need to be in and around the box. There he was there. I don't think it has too much to do with the position. There were situations when we were in possession and he went to the right side. It's completely normal.

"You need to be flexible, fill up the spaces and force the defenders to react to different scenarios. It's quite comfortable when you are always in the same space."

Meanwhile, Klopp also sent a message to his side, telling them what they need to remember if they want to beat Man City on Sunday despite their poor start to the season.

"In the last few years we were always pretty brave against City," he said. "Now we realised before we changed system, this bravery in defending left a few gaps which we couldn't close in the moment. We have to make sure that we are the best defending unit we can be when they are in possession.

"That means everything. That means defending, the high press, the midfield press, all the different areas where you have to defend them and where you can cause them problems. That's what we have to figure out. Which are the right moments where we go for them and where we let them come a little bit.

"When you have the ball, you need everyone full of confidence, being cheeky, being flexible. You could see, we played a good game against Rangers. Even when we were 1-0 down, the football we played against the defensive unit was really good. Harvey and Fabio were really involved in that, really flexible.

"Both sixes did really well. That was really helpful and that was what we have to do. We have to pass the ball around and let them defend as well.

"Usually the problem is they are that impressive and dangerous in all the things they do, sometimes you forget you can cause them problems as well. That's a normal reaction under pressure. We have to remind ourselves it's possible and see what we can do with that."

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