Mohamed Salah couldn't help but burst into laughter when his former manager delivered a perfectly timed piece of honesty during what was meant to be a sentimental farewell.

During an interview with Steven Gerrard on TNT Sport, Salah was shown a video message from Jurgen Klopp that started warmly enough. The German praised both Liverpool legends before delivering the line that had everyone in stitches.

"Two of my legends are sitting together, Stevie, you know how much I love you. But Mo, it was an absolute honour to work with you, it was a pleasure as well, not every minute but most of the time," Klopp said in his message.

That brutal honesty about their relationship had both Salah and Gerrard laughing out loud, with the Egyptian winger briefly looking away while breaking into a huge smile. It was classic Klopp – emotional but never afraid to acknowledge the reality of managing world-class talents.

The former Liverpool boss continued with typical warmth: "You remember when we came together, I said 'let's create a special story and let's make sure that when we see each other in 10 or 15 years that and look back, we cannot avoid a smile', and I have that smile when I think of our time together."

"I'm just super happy and thankful that I was part of the whole journey for a while and all the best for what is coming up, there's still a great few years to come so have a great time together and enjoy, see you, bye."

Salah's reaction revealed everything about their relationship. Even after the video ended, he let out another audible chuckle before reflecting on what made Klopp so effective as a manager.

"Managing the players is very hard, through the years and with more experience, he realised that it doesn't get easier. He could manage a dressing room though with a team full of stars and he could keep everybody on their feet and working," Salah explained.

"He may have been lucky as well that we all wanted to work, he didn't have to force anyone to work because we really wanted to succeed and achieve big things."

Klopp's reference to their relationship not being perfect "every minute" likely stems from the inevitable clashes between two strong personalities. The most notable incident occurred during a match away at West Ham, when Salah refused to shake his manager's hand before coming on as a substitute.

But that's what made their partnership so successful – mutual respect despite the occasional friction. Both understood that greatness requires honest conversations, even uncomfortable ones.

Meanwhile, Salah's own farewell tour at Liverpool nearly ended in disaster last weekend when he went down clutching the back of his leg, leaving many fearing the worst with only a few matches remaining in the season.

Fortunately, the injury scare proved less serious than initially thought. Arne Slot provided an update on Friday, confirming what supporters desperately wanted to hear.

"He is always working incredibly hard when he is injured to get back as soon as possible. Usually, he is back earlier than other players. He has a minor injury, and we expect and need him back for the final part of the season, but not for Sunday," Slot said.

Salah himself seemed confident about his return timeline, telling Gerrard "I should be back a little before that" when asked if he'd definitely feature in the final match of the season against Brentford.

The one match he'll definitely miss is the trip to Old Trafford against Manchester United – a particularly bitter pill given his sensational scoring record at the home of Liverpool's biggest rivals.

As both legends prepare for life after their Anfield chapters, Klopp's message perfectly captured what made their relationship work: honesty wrapped in genuine affection, with just enough cheek to keep everyone smiling. The laughter said it all – sometimes the best farewells are the ones that don't take themselves too seriously.