09:05

Jurgen Klopp has insisted there are no concerns over Mohamed Salah’s early season form and the Liverpool forward’s defensive work in the wins over Paris Saint Germain and Tottenham Hotspur was “outstanding”.

The Egypt international has yet to recapture the prolific form that yielded 44 goals last term but has scored twice in his six appearances so far. At the same stage of last season Salah had scored three goals. “Wow, that’s a crisis,” said the Liverpool manager – sarcastically of course – when told of the comparison.

Klopp said: “On the defensive side he was outstanding in the last two games, perfect, and it is so important in these games especially so that says everything about him: that he is really ready to work for the team in these moments. It is a completely normal situation for an offensive player that they have times when they don’t score. But he is still a threat, has fantastic situations in both games and he is in a good shape. Finishing is something you can never take for granted; I would never do that, the players should never do that – only the supporters are allowed to do that. The most important thing is physically he is in a very good shape, which helps.”

Salah has not scored in his last three outings and was substituted shortly after his error led to Kylian Mbappe equalising for PSG in the Champions League on Tuesday.

But his manager added: “Yes he lost the ball before we conceded the second goal but it was a very intense game and things like this happen constantly. You don’t always concede a goal after it but this time we did. It was not the reason to take him off. I am fine with him, I think he is fine with me and the situation, so that’s all. At the end of the season we will see how it was, not at the beginning. The start was good for the team and also him as well. It wasn’t like he finished last season but he needed time last year and we will take time this year, that’s all.”

The Liverpool manager confirmed Roberto Firmino is fit to start against Southampton on Saturday and Dominic Solanke is also available having recovered from concussion. Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana and Divock Origi remain sidelined by injury, however.