Pep Guardiola admits Liverpool 'headache' as Erling Haaland sends message to Mohamed Salah

Pep Guardiola has gone up against Liverpool plenty of times during his Man City tenure, and he and Erling Haaland have sent a message to Mohamed Salah before his exit

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has sent a message to Mohamed Salah ahead of his imminent Liverpool exit, with the Egyptian having confirmed that he will depart the Anfield side when the season ends.

Salah is expected to play again this season — he has an injury that will keep him out of the trip to Old Trafford on Sunday, though says he will be back to face Brentford at the latest — but his time with Liverpool is coming to a close nine years after he arrived from AS Roma to sign for Jurgen Klopp.

In that period, Liverpool and Manchester City became the best two teams in the country, regularly going head-to-head for the Premier League title.

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Guardiola says coming up against Salah and co was always a major challenge — something that Arne Slot will hope Liverpool can return to next season, even with his number 11 on the way out.

"He was a headache," Guardiola told Sky Sports. "I think for the way we play, Man City was always perfect for them. Space in behind and they have incredible deliveries with (Trent) Alexander-Arnold and (Andy) Robertson.

"An incredible, legend player, and I think he deserves my huge respect to make this place, this world of football, a better place to live."

"I don’t know how many goals he scored but it has been a few, and a few important as well," regular Golden Boot rival Erling Haaland added. "There were loads against us which has been a bit frustrating at times."

Another key part of Klopp's best Liverpool teams, in addition to Salah and Robertson, was Jordan Henderson, who will face the Reds with Brentford on the final day of the season.

Because he unexpectedly signed for Al Ettifaq in the summer of 2023, Liverpool fans never got the chance to wave goodbye properly in person at the time.

"There is no better place to mention it than with you," Salah told Steven Gerrard in an interview for TNT Sports. "I think the last game of the season against Brentford, people in the city know how much it meant to Hendo also.

"Being here, captain of the club, for 12 years — more than me, more than Virgil, more than Robbo, more than anyone. He didn't get the send-off or the farewell that he deserved because he left immediately.

"I don't know how the club is going to manage it and I have no plan. I don't know how the supporters will also manage it, but I really wish they do something special for him.

"I've been there in the dressing room and without him, we wouldn't have achieved what we achieved. I really hope that the fans will give him a good send-off.

"You know how passionate he is and how much he loved the club. I really wish that the club can do something for him and the fans also, because this is Liverpool and we do it this way."

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