Jurgen Klopp defends Mohamed Salah substitution in Liverpool draw vs. Chelsea: 'We are here to win a game'

Salah was on the cusp of setting a new Premier League record before his substitution

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp described his substitution of Mohamed Salah in the team's 1-1 draw at Chelsea as a needed change despite the player's obvious frustration, but downplayed the intensity of the moment.

"We are here to win a game," Klopp told broadcasters following the match. "Mo is super, super, super important. We have to make decisions. We needed fresh legs. He has 500 different records. I can't think of these during the game."

Salah has scored eight goals on opening day of the Premier League season, tied for first with Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, and Frank Lampard. A goal would have seen him occupy top spot, and he got close against Chelsea. He took three shots, including one in the first half that hit the crossbar, before he came off in the 77th minute.

Klopp told NBC Sports that was not bothered by Salah's reaction, and echoed that sentiment in his post-match press conference.

"We haven't had a conversation yet," he said. "I don't think you ever saw Mo leaving the pitch happy, that's ok. I didn't think in the moment about it that if he scored he would have been a record scorer. I understand his disappointment but in that moment we needed fresh legs. 99 percent of the things we achieved because of him or with him. That's he not happy is clear. I understand that. It's no problem."

If Sunday's performance is an indication for how Liverpool will look this season, it will be easy to take Klopp at his word. He played an incredibly attack-minded lineup and started four of his forwards -- Salah, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, and Cody Gakpo -- as well as two forward-thinking midfielders in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. The overall results were mixed but Salah stood out early in the match, when Liverpool's attack got off to a bright start.

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At age 31, though, Salah will likely spend a bit more time on the bench this season as Liverpool compete in four competitions again this season. The team's attacking depth, which includes Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott, means Klopp has plenty of options to ensure all of his players stay as fresh as possible -- including Salah.