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Mohamed Salah returned in type with a purpose in Liverpool’s 4-1 rout of Brentford because the Premier League leaders survived a rash of accidents to step up their title cost on Saturday.
Salah got here off the bench to interchange the injured Diogo Jota in his first Liverpool look since their win over Newcastle on New 12 months’s Day.
Having returned from the hamstring harm he sustained on Egypt responsibility on the Africa Cup of Nations, Salah made up for misplaced time along with his first purpose for the Reds for the reason that Newcastle recreation.
The 31-year-old’s nineteenth purpose in all competitions this time period put Liverpool on track for a sixth win of their final seven league video games.
The much-maligned Darwin Nunez had given Jurgen Klopp’s facet the lead with a elegant chip late within the first half on the Gtech Neighborhood Stadium.
Alexis Mac Allister doubled Liverpool’s benefit after the interval with simply his second purpose this season.
Ivan Toney obtained one again for Brentford, however Cody Gakpo netted within the closing phases as Liverpool moved 5 factors clear on the high.
Second positioned Manchester Metropolis and third positioned Arsenal, who play afterward Saturday towards Chelsea and Burnley respectively, can scale back the hole to Liverpool, who’re chasing a primary title since 2020.
Whereas the victory was priceless for Klopp, it got here with a draw back as first half accidents to Jota and Curtis Jones added to Liverpool’s more and more packed remedy room.
Nunez did not come again out for the second half both, though whether or not that was tactical or because of harm was unclear.
With the League Cup closing towards Chelsea looming on February 25 and Liverpool additionally competing within the FA Cup and Europa League, the accidents might derail Klopp’s hopes of a trophy-filled farewell season.
Conor Bradley, again from compassionate go away after his father’s demise, began at right-back for Liverpool instead of the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Again within the groove
Bradley had impressed previous to his absence and the teenager practically gave Liverpool an early lead when he burst into the world for a shot that Mark Flekken pushed away for a nook.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank this week labelled Liverpool “one of the best offensive crew within the league”.
Klopp would have appreciated the praise and Liverpool underlined why Frank charges them so extremely within the thirty fifth minute.
Virgil van Dijk’s excessive clearance from deep inside his personal half looped in direction of Jota, who rose tenaciously above Sergio Reguilon to nod a header into the trail of the unmarked Nunez.
The Uruguay striker accelerated into the world and deftly chipped a fantastic end over Flekken for his thirteenth purpose this season.
Nunez’s purpose was marred by the harm to Jota that led the Portugal ahead to be stretchered off after he collided with Mac Allister and landed awkwardly.
That introduced Salah into the fray and missed an opportunity instantly, letting Luis Diaz’s cross bounce off his leg with the purpose at his mercy.
Salah misfired once more with a woeful end after he took Van Dijk’s header and sprinted clear via on purpose.
The Egyptian made amends for his miscues with an outstanding move that picked out Mac Allister’s run into the world.
Taking a intelligent contact to elude Brentford defender Ben Mee, Mac Allister snapped up the prospect with a medical end to double Liverpool’s lead after 55 minutes.
Salah was again within the groove and he killed off Brentford within the 68th minute.
Gakpo flicked on Caoimhin Kelleher’s lengthy clearance and Salah confirmed poise and energy as he labored simply sufficient house to information a composed strike into the far nook.
Toney fired residence from close-range after Reguilon’s shot was saved by Kelleher within the seventy fifth minute.
However Liverpool landed one final blow within the 86th minute when Nathan Collins’ comical miscued clearance allowed Gakpo to attain with a exact low end.
