Mo Salah: How Liverpool gave him psychological edge before penalty v Man City

The Community Shield might have somewhat of a reputation as a glorified friendly but both Liverpool and Manchester City desperately wanted to emerge with bragging rights from Saturday evening’s clash in Leicester.

After a fiercely contested 90 minutes, it was Jurgen Klopp’s Reds who took home the trophy. With less than 10 minutes to go, though, the game was delicately poised a 1-1 and could have gone either way.

Liverpool were handed an opportunity to take the lead when Ruben Dias handled a Darwin Nunez header in the box.

A penalty was subsequently awarded by VAR and the responsibility to fire home from 12 yards lay with Liverpool’s electric winger Mo Salah.

With a host of top honours to his name, the Egyptian superstar is no stranger to the pressure of the big occasion.

However, where Klopp’s side is concerned spot-kicks are about far more than just the penalty taker trying to outwit the goalkeeper.

Liverpool won both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup last season after defeating Chelsea in penalty shootouts.

Following the second of those triumphs, the charismatic German revealed that the club had been working alongside a neuroscience company based in his homeland to try and perfect their approach to penalties.

“We work together with a company, four guys, their name is neuro11,” Klopp told ESPN after Liverpool’s FA Cup final win.

“They got in contact with us two years ago, I think I was aware of it [then]. One of them is a neuroscientist and he said ‘we can train penalty shooting’ Really. And I said: ‘sounds interesting, come over.’

“German guy, we met. We worked together and this trophy is for them like the Carabao Cup was.”

Liverpool enjoyed more success from the spot during the Community Shield, as Salah made no