Mohamed Salah made a successful comeback from injury, finding the net as Liverpool secured victory against Brentford, thus preserving their position at the top of the Premier League standings.
Darwin Nunez opened the scoring for Liverpool with a splendid chip, followed by Alexis Mac Allister’s close-range finish for their second goal at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Returning from a hamstring injury sustained during Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign, Mohamed Salah marked his comeback with a precise strike.
Although Ivan Toney managed to pull one back for Brentford, Cody Gakpo sealed the victory for Liverpool with a late goal.
Initially extending their lead to five points at the top, Liverpool saw it reduced to two points following Arsenal’s 5-0 win over Burnley later in the day.
Despite the triumph, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp faced setbacks with more players joining the injury list during the match at the Gtech Community Stadium. Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota were substituted before halftime, while Nunez was replaced during the break.
“We have to see how much it costs us – we don’t know that yet,” Klopp said of the injuries.
“Curtis got a knock on the lower part of his shin, or above the ankle. We will see what that means. It was what he felt, but he was not 100 per cent sure. That Curtis cannot play on tells you that it must be something because he would have played on at all costs.
“Diogo looks probably the worst; I didn’t see it back but I heard the pictures didn’t look great as well, so we have to see there.
“Darwin, we took off because he felt really a little [something] but that was obviously today enough to immediately push the brake and that’s what we did, so we took him off.”
Nunez sets Liverpool on their way
This was a victory which oozed class as Liverpool, who might have identified this as a potentially tricky assignment, bid to win a 20th league title.
Nunez delivered a standout moment by breaking free to meet Jota’s header, then executing a breathtaking finish.
The Uruguayan skillfully chipped the ball over Mark Flekken as the goalkeeper closed down the angle.
While Nunez is often seen as a catalyst for chaos, relying more on instinct than calculation, this instance showcased his intelligence and composure, setting Liverpool on their path to victory.
Undoubtedly, Klopp and his coaching staff have refined Nunez, who was a raw talent when he joined for £64m from Benfica in 2022.
Liverpool’s upcoming clash with Manchester City at Anfield, with City trailing by four points but holding a game in hand, looms ominously on the horizon.
It seems almost certain that Nunez and City’s striker, Erling Haaland, will take center stage leading into that pivotal encounter.
Salah back but injury problems mount
Salah’s comeback, entering the match in the 44th minute to replace the injured Jota, marked a significant positive for Liverpool, his first appearance since New Year’s Day.
Initially showing signs of rustiness, Salah failed to anticipate a cut-back from Luis Diaz inside the six-yard box and also missed the target with a shot from a promising position.
However, it didn’t take long for him to regain his form. Following Mac Allister’s impressive finish, Salah effectively secured the victory. His skill and speed proved too much for defender Nathan Collins as he expertly placed the ball beyond Flekken. Additionally, Salah provided an assist for Gakpo.
This performance adds to Salah’s remarkable record, as he has now both scored and assisted in 30 different Premier League games. Only Wayne Rooney (36), Thierry Henry (32), and Alan Shearer (31) have achieved this feat more frequently.
“He [Salah] is amazing. I am very happy for him,” Mac Allister told TNT Sports.
“He has been out and a little bit frustrated about it but he came back and in just a couple of minutes, scored and assist.
“He is an amazing player and a great leader and an important player for us.”
Even with Salah’s comeback, Liverpool supporters will anxiously await updates on the fitness of Jones, Jota, and Nunez in the coming days, adding to the concerns already surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alisson, and Thiago Alcantara, all sidelined with injuries.
The possibility looms that Liverpool might enter the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea on 25 February without several key players.