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Mohamed Salah’s stint as penalty taker could last just one game after Jurgen Klopp spoke of the different pressures of playing for Liverpool after the Egyptian missed a spot-kick against Huddersfield at Anfield.

Ultimately Salah’s first half miss from the spot - Jonas Lossl easily saving an effort that was much too central - did not prove too costly after second half goals from Daniel Sturridge, Roberto Firmino and Gini Wijnaldum secured a much-needed three points.

Salah became Liverpool’s third penalty taker of the last six months, winning the role after standing up to huge pressure to fire Egypt to World Cup qualification three weeks ago after 95 minutes of their match against Congo.

That convinced Klopp he had the mentality for the job, after Roberto Firmino missed against Sevilla and with last year’s go-to man James Milner often missing out on the starting line-up.

(Image: Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Both Milner and Firmino were on the pitch yesterday - the Brazilian indeed winning the spot-kick after Tommy Smith grabbed his shirt - but it was still Salah who was handed the responsibility to put Liverpool in front.

Klopp was able to joke about the situation given the final result but a change could still be in the offing with the Reds manager even suggesting Daniel Sturridge could have been an option to step up.

“I thought it made sense after the Egypt penalty - obviously the pressure is bigger in Liverpool than in Egypt to qualify for the World Cup!” he joked.

Asked if Salah is now the penalty taker, Klopp added: “I’m not sure that he is anymore… I think Daniel would have been a safe number in this group of players.”

(Image: TAREK ABDEL HAMID/AFP/Getty Images)

Salah’s first half miss was just part of an insipid opening 45 minutes which left the Reds leaving the pitch to a small smattering of boos at half-time but Klopp played down any criticism from the stands.

“I would not make a big deal out of it (the booing). I have heard bigger atmospheres in my life when you know ‘something is wrong here’. It was not nice to watch (the first half), it was just work. When you go to watch football you do not only want to see work – that’s how it is.”

Klopp felt his players were too cautious in their approach in the first half, wanting to avoid counter attacks by not committing enough players forward, something he put down to the chastening defeat at Spurs last weekend.

(Image: Jason Roberts)

“It was clear after the really harsh criticism after the last game that you can’t go like this (clicks fingers) and say, ‘it was not that bad’. It was bad! Games like this always have influence. It was very important that we reacted.

“We had Dejan (Lovren) out one second before the game, Phil (Coutinho) was not there and we missed a penalty in the first half. Oooof! The atmosphere was obviously not too optimistic at half time so to come out and do what we did, it was really nice.

“I have no clue what you wrote last week but I’m not silly so I can imagine. I know that the players read. So the pressure was there. Dealing with a pressure like this, it helped us a lot.

“Now, Maribor – next West Ham. At this moment it feels good: clean sheet, scored three, reacting to a missed penalty. I’m officially happy today.”