Salah achieves another Anfield record

LONDON — Mohamed Salah achieved another notable Liverpool feat in the two-nil victory over Brentford.

Luis Diaz opened the scoring for Arne Slot’s side and the Colombian also set up the second, firing an incisive pass for the Egyptian after Liverpool counter-pressed brilliantly. Set away one v one, there was a sense of inevitability as he swept the ball past Mark Flekken for the decisive second goal.

That’s now two goals in two games for Salah and it was another Anfield goal – he managed 13 last season in the league – but the strike saw him leapfrog Robbie Fowler in the all-time list of scorers at the famous stadium.

Salah is now the outright fifth-highest scorer at Anfield in all competitions with 118 goals, moving ahead of Fowler with 117.

As it stands, only Ian Rush (185), Roger Hunt (173), Gordon Hodgson (159), and Billy Liddell (137) are ahead of him.

Liverpool dominated early on, scoring a fine opening goal on the counter attack when Luis Diaz arrowed his first of the season into the top corner with 13 minutes on the clock.

Brentford responded well, going close with two short-range headers either side of halftime, but Salah ended the visitors’ hopes of taking anything from their trip to Anfield with a second goal 20 minutes from time.

Dutchman Slot now has two 2-0 wins from two games as he undertakes the difficult task of replacing Juergen Klopp as Liverpool boss, with a testing trip to Manchester United up next.

“The time with Juergen (was) amazing and the time with the new boss is a joy and he has a certain way of playing,” Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said according to Reuters.

“We work a lot on so many good things and you see a lot with and without the ball that gives confidence to the team.

“We have to, I won’t say forget about the Juergen period, but that is in the past and we had an amazing time and now it is a time for the new boss to hopefully be successful.

“I think if we stayed calmer we could have more space at times but it is still a work in progress. It’s a good time and hopefully we have so much to improve and go for it.”

Before the match, no Liverpool boss since Graeme Souness in 1991 had secured wins in their two opening league games in charge.

Brentford, without star striker Ivan Toney in the squad again as speculation over his future continues, grew into the contest, but could not make a sustained spell of pressure before halftime count.

Liverpool upped the ante after the break and deservedly got their second goal, with Salah adding to his strike on the opening day at Ipswich Town with another well-taken shot to seal the victory.

Salah is now Liverpool’s outright fifth top scorer at Anfield in all competitions with 118 goals, moving ahead of Robbie Fowler as he again looks primed to be front and centre of a Red title tilt.

“We just know Liverpool is a good team,” Brentford boss Thomas Frank said. “For me Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool are the three that are a little bit ahead of everyone else, some of the best teams in Europe.

“We hoped for more, we came here to try and win, but we couldn’t do it.” 

Salah almost launched another break but was challenged by Kristoffer Ajer, while Mark Flekken was alert at his near post to keep out Andy Robertson’s strike after he had exchanged passes with Diaz.

Liverpool seemed to be coasting after half an hour but were almost pegged back when Norgaard was left unmarked in front of goal, only for the Dane to glance a header from Bryan Mbeumo’s free-kick harmlessly wide.

It was the catalyst for Brentford as they showed more impetus going forwards, with Mads Roerslev’s cross intercepted by Konate to rebuff Keane Lewis-Potter at the back post.

Moments later, Lewis-Potter cut on to his right foot and saw his 20-yard shot well held by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

Fabio Carvalho was introduced in the 66th minute a fortnight on from swapping Merseyside for Brentford, but the ex-Reds forward’s first contribution was to give the ball away, leading to Liverpool’s second.

Dominik Szoboszlai nipped in to dispossess the Portuguese before Diaz switched to Salah on the right and the Egypt forward effortlessly lifted over the advancing Flekken and into the net.

As the crowd chanted Slot’s name and Brentford’s charge fizzled out, Reds substitute Cody Gakpo hammered a deflected effort against the bar, with Liverpool ending the match on top.

At the break Slot surely ordered Liverpool to complement the forward zest with more watchfulness to stop Brentford’s forays. The first element was still present. Moments into the second half, a misdirected Jota overhead dropped on to Robertson’s head but from inches out he failed to score.

The need to stiffen up the rearguard act remained, though. A Mbeumo shot that went for a corner was the product of Liverpool’s openness and further danger came from a short Bees corner that Slot’s men scrambled to repel.

But soon came Liverpool’s second before which, in a number of raids down his right flank, Alexander-Arnold pushed Frank’s men back. The best of these featured a flip to Jota who, perhaps distracted, was wasteful.