"Do you want to sit back down?" - Michail Antonio lifts lid on what West Ham bench heard Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp tell Salah during touchline clash

West Ham United striker Michail Antonio has explained what went down between Liverpool gaffer Jurgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah during their recent touchline squabble in the Reds' 2-2 draw against the Hammers.

The Egyptian was benched for the second time in three games against West Ham due to his recent run-of-the-mill performances. The Reds were facing the Hammers off the back of a defeat in the Merseyside derby against Everton.

With the game level at 2-2, the 31-year-old had a confrontation with Klopp as he was preparing to come on as an 80th-minute substitute. Speaking on his 'Footballer’s Football Podcast', Antonio revealed what he believed was said during the squabble between the two. He said:

"As the (Liverpool) players come on, Klopp always gives them a big hug and says 'good luck', but when Mo came on he walked in a different direction and was doing his shinpads and stuff like that. Klopp has put his hand out to him and his hand was there for a bit and as Mo stopped doing what he was doing, he just slapped his (Klopp's) hand as a high five."

The 34-year-old striker added:

"Obviously Klopp didn’t like that and he was like, ‘Do you want to sit back down?’, basically saying, 'Do you want to go on?'. And nobody has told me what Mo said back."

Antonio claimed that the incident between Mo Salah and the Liverpool gaffer was blown out of proportion because they haven't been performing well.

The three-horse race for the Premier League title has come down to two teams as the Reds have dropped points in their last few games. Losses against Crystal Palace and Everton and a 2-2 draw against the Hammers have left them five points behind league leaders Arsenal.

Jurgen Klopp's men were also eliminated from the Europa League following a 1-3 aggregate defeat at the hands of Atalanta. Surely, this wasn't the send-off Liverpool were hoping to give the 56-year-old manager.

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Altercation between Mo Salah and Klopp has fueled rumors of Egyptian's potential exit

Several clubs have been interested in getting Mo Salah on board ever since he became a phenomenon at Liverpool. While both the Egyptian and the club have remained tight-lipped over the matter, fans feel the fallout with Klopp was the last string for the former Chelsea man.

The 31-year-old will enter the final year of his contract this summer and there has been renewed speculation about a potential move to Saudi Arabia. Al Ittihad were earlier reportedly prepared to pay more than £100m but a move didn't materialize.

It also remains to be seen what changes Arne Slot brings about if he's appointed manager. The Reds currently have 75 points after 35 games, while Arsenal are first with 80 points in as many games. Manchester City are a close second with 79 points after 34 games.

Liverpool face Tottenham Hotspur on May 5, Sunday.