Kop Legend Urges Jurgen Klopp to Have 'Difficult Conversation' With Mo Salah Over Champions League

Liverpool legend John Aldridge has called for Kop boss Jurgen Klopp to think wisely in terms of team selection ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League semi-final against Roma, suggesting to use talisman Mohamed Salah sparingly during domestic competition.

Salah has enjoyed a remarkable debut campaign at Liverpool, netting his 30th Premier League goal of the season on Saturday evening in Liverpool’s comprehensive 3-0 win over Bournemouth.

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That goal see’s Salah comfortably ahead of Harry Kane in the race for the Golden Boot by five goals, while Liverpool are on course for a top four finish, sitting in third place, ten points ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea.

Now, Aldridge - writing in his column for Sunday World - feels it is time for Klopp to rest Salah in the league to ensure the Egyptian is fully fit for Liverpool’s semi-final against Roma; even if that means losing out on the Golden Boot. He's acknowledged that this as an unmissable opportunity to claim the Reds’ sixth European Cup.

Reported by the Independent, Aldridge wrote: "Jurgen Klopp should sit down for what would be an uncomfortable conversation with Mo Salah in the next few days, as I believe the moment has come for him to make what would be a huge sacrifice for the good of the team.

"Salah deserves to be crowned Footballer of the Year and to carry off the Premier League's Golden Boot but a bigger picture has emerged that is more important than all of that now.

"When Klopp looks to pick his team for next Saturday's game against West Brom, he needs to make the best use of his squad and ensure that his first-choice front three are fresh and raring to go for the first leg of the Roma tie at Anfield the following Tuesday.

"Liverpool then have a home game against Stoke and I would encourage Klopp to rest his front three for that one and have them ready for what will be a difficult game at the Stadio Olympico in Rome."

Liverpool will welcome Roma to Anfield on the 24th April for the first leg of the tie, while Real Madrid will travel to The Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich the day after.