On Saturday, Premier League leaders Liverpool demonstrated resilience despite a wave of injuries, with Mohamed Salah’s return highlighted by a goal in their commanding 4-1 victory over Brentford, further propelling their title ambitions.
Salah made a notable return, stepping in for the injured Diogo Jota in his first Liverpool match since their New Year’s Day victory over Newcastle.
Back from a hamstring injury sustained during Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign, Salah made an immediate impact, scoring his first goal for Liverpool since the Newcastle match. The 31-year-old’s 19th goal across all competitions this season set Liverpool on a path to their sixth win in seven league games.
Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez, often criticized, set the tone with a stunning chip, putting Jurgen Klopp’s team ahead late in the first half at the Gtech Community Stadium. Alexis Mac Allister doubled Liverpool’s lead in the second half, marking only his second goal of the season. Ivan Toney’s goal gave Brentford hope, but Cody Gakpo secured the win for Liverpool in the final stages. The victory extended Liverpool’s lead to five points at the top of the table.
Manchester City and Arsenal, trailing behind in second and third place respectively, have the chance to narrow the gap later on Saturday in their matches against Chelsea and Burnley.
However, the win came with a setback for Klopp, as injuries to Jota and Curtis Jones in the first half added to Liverpool’s mounting injury list. Nunez also did not return for the second half, though it’s unclear whether it was tactical or due to injury.
With the League Cup final against Chelsea approaching on February 25, and Liverpool also competing in the FA Cup and Europa League, the injuries could disrupt Klopp’s hopes for a successful season.
Conor Bradley, back from compassionate leave following his father’s passing, filled in for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back for Liverpool.
