Klopp adamant Mo's a no-go

Boss insists Salah 'committed' to Reds as Saudis ready another monster offer

LIVERPOOL — Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said Mo Salah wants to remain at Anfield after scoring in a dominant 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.

Dominik Szoboszlai, with his first goal for the club, and Matty Cash's own goal put the Reds in command before Salah added a third after halftime.

Liverpool reportedly turned down an offer worth up to 150 million pounds ($189 million) from Al-Ittihad for Salah last week, with reports suggesting the Saudi club is poised to return with a bid of 200 million pounds.

"I never had any doubt about his commitment to this club," said Klopp after Salah scored his 188th goal for the club.

"You can't imagine how much fuss the world has made but how calm we are with it. He is our player and wants to play here."

Victory took the Reds to within two points of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.

But it was the manner of victory and a return of 10 points from a tricky opening four games of the new season that will have Liverpool fans dreaming of a title challenge once more.

Either side of Liverpool's first title in 30 years in 2020, Klopp's men missed out on the title to City twice by a solitary point in 2019 and 2022.

However, last season the Reds slumped to fifth in the Premier League to miss out on the Champions League for the first time in seven years.

A return to the top four looked like it could be the limit of Liverpool's ambitions for the new campaign after a difficult summer in the transfer market led it to miss out on a number of targets.

Klopp has had to completely rebuild his midfield, but new signings Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister have slotted in with ease.

"It is football, everyone is talking. We are really happy that he has stayed," Szoboszlai said of Salah after netting his first goal for the club. "We are of course speaking between each other but he wants to stay, he wants to be here and be with us.

"We are really happy. We need people in the team like him."

"Absolutely it was a top game, best for a while," added Klopp. "I don't know when it was last that convincing."

Salah was a constant threat and there is little doubting Liverpool's firepower up front with Darwin Nunez now finding his feet after a difficult first season.

Nunez was rewarded for his match-winning contribution off the bench with two goals away to Newcastle the previous weekend with his first start of the season.

Trent sets the tone

The Uruguayan's pace and power consistently exposed the Villa defense but it was from a set-piece that the home side broke the deadlock after just three minutes.

Trent Alexander-Arnold's corner came out to the edge of the box where Szoboszlai arrowed a powerful shot into the far corner on his weaker left foot.

Alexander-Arnold controlled the game from his new role at the base of the Liverpool midfield.

Captain for the day in the absence of the suspended Virgil van Dijk, it was his pass that started the move for the second goal.

Salah squared for Nunez, who should have scored himself, but when his shot came off the post, the ball ricocheted in off the unfortunate Cash.

Villa had lost just seven Premier League games in 28 under Unai Emery, but just as in the 5-1 thrashing the Birmingham club suffered at Newcastle on the opening weekend of the season, its high defensive line was easily picked off.

"The first half was key. They were clinical," said Emery. "Maybe we were a little weak in some actions and that was key in the first half."

Salah remains indispensable if Liverpool is to hold any hope of reeling in City for a 20th English topflight title and got the goal his performance deserved in the 55th minute.

Villa failed to deal with another corner and Salah converted Nunez's flick-on at the back post.

AFP