Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has spoken to Mohamed Salah about his frustrations in front of goal, but insisted “big talks” were not necessary.

The Egypt international has scored three times in nine matches this season, but has just one in the last six, compared to six in his first nine 12 months ago.

He does not look close so far to replicating the form that brought him 44 goals and a new Premier League record of 32 in a 38-game season.

It seemed in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea at the weekend that his desperation to return to the scintillating form which kicked in about a year ago was affecting his decision-making.

But Klopp said, ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash with Napoli: “The only thing that is obvious, and I only have to say that to Mo, is that it was absolutely clear we would stand in a situation like this here and talk about it.

“Even Harry Kane. They talk about this and now he scored last week two goals, but before that, he was, ‘Not even half he was last year’, that is what people were saying, stuff like that.

“For us, it is completely cool. If the player is not happy with it — that is clear. If you have a chance, you want to score.

“It is completely normal, all good. As long as we perform like we have, everything will be fine.

“There are not big talks necessary, just a completely normal situation it is absolutely easy to expect, because if you don’t score in your first seven games 10 goals, then everybody asks if you can do it again.

“Even Ian Rush didn’t score 40 goals in 10 seasons, season after season after season. That’s not how it works.”

“At the end of season it depends how much success we have as a team if it is successful or not.

“There is no personal success possible. All awards are for everyone. We do what we do best.”

Klopp dismissed what he claims are mind games by Napoli counterpart Carlo Ancelotti, as the Serie A side’s coach praised the work the German had done at Anfield and the progress he has made.

“I like Carlo Ancelotti, he is a fantastic guy. As we say in Germany ‘He is obviously a smart fox’,” said the Reds boss.

“He says all these positive things about us and all these nice things about me is nice but it is tactics, it starts already.

“Carlo is so long in the business and he wants to bring the nice fella out in me but I am ready for a real battle.”

Liverpool return to the Stadio San Paolo for the first time since October 2010, when they earned a goalless draw.

The starting line-up reads like a mixed bag of players from a period of the club’s history fans would sooner forget.

It was midway through during Roy Hodgson’s ill-fated six-month tenure, and just a couple of weeks after owners Fenway Sports Group had succeeded in their October takeover.

A team of Jose Reina, Martin Kelly, Martin Skrtel, Jamie Carragher, Paul Konchesky, Jay Spearing, Christian Poulsen, Jonjo Shelvey, Milan Jovanovic, David Ngog and Ryan Babel secured a goalless Europa League draw.

On the bench that night were Brad Jones, Fabio Aurelio, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Danny Wilson, Joe Cole, Maxi Rodriguez, and Nathan Eccleston.

Of that 18-strong party only Reina and Carragher, and to a lesser degree Aurelio and Rodriguez, are looked back upon with much fondness.

Liverpool travelled without midfielder Adam Lallana, who has a groin strain but will have a bench which will have the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Xherdan Shaqiri, and Fabinho.