Jurgen Klopp admits it was an error making Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool captain - but claims Mohamed Salah should not have been given the armband instead.
Alexander-Arnold skippered his boyhood club for the first time in the Champions League dead rubber against FC Midtjylland earlier this month.
All "four captains" of Liverpool's "players committee" - Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Virgil van Dijk and Georginio Wijnaldum - did not feature in the fixture, handing the 22-year-old his chance to lead the side.
Salah, 28, has since revealed he was unhappy not to be chosen by Klopp for the role.
But while the Reds' boss conceded he had made a mistake, he says Divock Origi should have been the captain instead.
"I didn't realise it was that big a story for Trent," Klopp said (via the Liverpool Echo ).
"If they [players committee] all cannot play then it is usually the guy the longest at the club.
"That was, in my understanding and how I saw it, was Trent. I don't mean the youth career, the professional career.
"Someone told me after it should have been Divock Origi and that was my fault because of being out on loans and stuff like that.
"So I didn't make it that complicated, I just gave Trent the armband."
Alexander-Arnold uploaded an image on social media after the match of him captaining Liverpool as a youngster, alongside him doing so for the first team, captioned: "Dreams to reality."
Meanwhile, Salah told Spanish publication AS: "Honestly, I was very disappointed. I was hoping to be the captain, but it’s a coach’s decision. I accept it."
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But Klopp revealed he has since held clear the air talks with Salah and says there is no issue with his forward.
"I spoke to Mo about it after the game and when I realised it didn't work out that well, I clarified that and he said it again in the interview, so not a problem for me," the Liverpool manager added.
"He said he was disappointed and I didn't do it on purpose, I just did what I did. If I made a mistake then it was that Divock Origi was not the captain."
