Report and free match highlights as Mo Salah stars on his return as Liverpool remain top of Premier League; Darwin Nunez, Alexis Mac Allister, Salah and Cody Gakpo with goals as Liverpool lose Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota and Nunez to injury; Ivan Toney got one back but Liverpool had too much
Monday 19 February 2024 15:21, UK
Mohamed Salah scored and assisted off the bench on his return as Liverpool won 4-1 at Brentford to remain top of the Premier League but also suffered a potential triple injury blow.
Darwin Nunez's chip finished off a devastating counter for Liverpool's opener late in the first half but they did, however, lose Diogo Jota, stretchered off, and Curtis Jones to injury either side of the goal. Nunez was also taken off at half-time after feeling a little niggle.
Salah replaced Jota and found his feet after the break, setting up Alexis Mac Allister for Liverpool's second before adding their third as the leaders after nearly a month out injured. Ivan Toney got one back for Brentford but an error from Nathan Collins handed Cody Gakpo Liverpool's fourth to end the game.
Liverpool will nervously wait to learn the extent of those injuries ahead of next Sunday's Carabao Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alisson already on the injury list. They also face Luton on Wednesday in the league.
Liverpool had gone five points clear at the top with the victory in west London but their lead was then cut back to two points after Arsenal won 5-0 at Burnley, while Brentford drop to 14th.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said that Jones left the stadium on crutches after the win but that Jota's injury appears to be the worst on first inspection.
"We have to see how much it costs us. We don't know yet," said Klopp.
"Curtis Jones got a knock above his ankle. He wasn't 100 per cent sure what it was. The fact Curtis could not play on tells you something because he would have played on at all costs.
"Diogo Jota looks the worst. I didn't see it back but I heard the pictures [of the incident] didn't look great. We have to see there.
"Darwin Nunez we took off because he said he felt something very little."
The onus was on Liverpool to come out of the traps in west London to keep up the pace at the top of the Premier League, but it was Brentford that had the early running. Vitaly Janelt dragged wide early before Ivan Toney spurned a few good chances.
Liverpool were menacing despite being second best and perhaps would have taken the lead had Mark Flekken not kept out Conor Bradley and Jota with a fine double save. Brentford were unperturbed and kept pushing, but came to rue their wastefulness.
Liverpool's prolific frontline delivered again as Jota's perfectly-weighted header sent Nunez through on goal after Virgil van Dijk hoofed clear and the Uruguay forward punished Brentford for committing too many bodies forward with a delightful chipped finish.
The opener was bookended by injuries to Jones and Jota, however, with the Portugal international taken off on a stretcher, adding to Liverpool's growing injury list just a week out from their Carabao Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley.
Salah, the replacement for Jota, appeared primed to double Liverpool's lead in first-half stoppage time following a surging break by Luis Diaz until a deflection saw the ball ricochet off his foot in the box. Perhaps some rust in his first game after nearly a month out.
Nunez was replaced at half-time by Cody Gakpo, but it was unclear if this was due to an injury or simply a precaution. There was then a scare for Toney, who fell awkwardly on his knee, although the Brentford striker was able to run it off.
There were more signs of rust for Salah as he fired wide when through on goal after Van Dijk's headed clearance. His first touch was sublime, but his second let him down as he got his finish all wrong. The Egyptian would more than make up for it, however.
His precision pass sliced through Brentford to pick out Mac Allister in the box, who nutmegged Collins before doubling Liverpool's lead on 55 minutes. It wasn't before too long that Salah wrestled his way past Collins to seemingly put the game to bed.
Brentford responded with a goal from Toney on the rebound, his first against Liverpool, after a sublime stop from Caoimhin Kelleher to keep out Sergio Reguilon's shot. But Collins, once again, was at fault as he missed the ball to allow Gakpo to score Liverpool's fourth.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp:
"The performance level could have dropped (after the injuries), but it was the other way around.
"We played an exceptional game, by far the best game we've played at Brentford. Dealing with all the specific situations they create, and being as dominated you can somehow be, be calm in the right moments, be direct in the right moments, use their man-marking, play against the line. All these kind of things. I saw a top game."
On Salah's return, he added: "Mo played the first game for weeks. He could have had a hat-trick. The goal he scored was absolutely outstanding. Cody's goal was absolutely outstanding as well.
"You can count the games coming up. It would be helpful if we had a bit more than one (player) for each position. But it's all fine. That's the situation and we cannot change it.
"I can't remember one day here that it was easy, no problems at all. We have problems. We don't know exactly how big they are. As long as we have 11 players we will go for it."
Brentford boss Thomas Frank:
"I thought we were brilliant the first 35 minutes, the best team, created a lot of good moments," he said. "We should have showed more coolness to create bigger chances.
"We concede the first goal, we knew we were facing a team who are probably the best in the world at transitions.
"It was the first goal we've conceded from an offensive set-piece in two years."
Brentford have two Premier League games in quick succession. On Tuesday, they travel to Manchester City; kick-off 7.30pm. On Monday February 26, Brentford will travel to West Ham on Monday Night Football, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 8pm.
Liverpool also play another Premier League game in midweek, hosting Luton on Wednesday; kick-off 7.30pm. They will then play in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday February 25, taking on Chelsea at Wembley, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 3pm.
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