LONDON — Mohamed Salah came within the width of a post of signing off his Liverpool career in spectacular style but could at least claim an assist in the 1-1 draw with Brentford which guaranteed Champions League football.
Within last week’s social media post criticising the style of play was a pledge by the Egypt international to do everything he could to ensure a return to Europe’s elite club competition.
He did at least deliver on that with a trademark outside-of-the-left boot cross for Curtis Jones to bundle home, although Bournemouth’s draw at Nottingham Forest made it academic.
Kevin Schade’s diving header left Brentford one more goal away from qualifying for Europe for the first time, but they could not breach the Liverpool defence again.
But for the home fans, there was only one man the afternoon belonged to.
Salah’s first-half free-kick bent around the wall, leaving former Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher standing and watching as it rebounded off the upright, was the closest he came to adding to his 193 Premier League goals.
But the next best thing was laying on the cross for the opener, typically timing his run to perfection to race on to Ryan Gravenberch’s hooked through-ball, to drive low across the six-yard area.
The celebrations never really got off the ground as there was a suspicion of offside and when VAR cleared it, the biggest noise was not for the goal but the substitution of former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, with all his ex-team-mates joining in the applause.
That was nothing compared to the reception when head coach Arne Slot, with whom the Egyptian has had his high-profile disagreements, made the surprise decision to substitute him in the 74th minute.
Liverpool’s players lined up to form an impromptu guard of honour and having taken their congratulations he knelt to kiss the Anfield turf one last time, accepting a brief embrace from Slot before taking his seat on the bench.
It was from that position he had fired his first broadside back in December at Elland Road, suggesting he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club as results nose-dived and claiming his relationship with Slot had broken down.
It was patched up, after a one-match internal suspension, long enough to get to the end of the season so one of the club’s all-time greats could say farewell.
Also on that list is Andy Robertson, who got his own ovation in the 83rd minute, to bring down a similar trophy-laden nine-year career, PA Media reported.
With the futures of goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who made one brilliant first-half save from Schade on his return to the team after two months out, Joe Gomez, who also got a late run out, and Curtis Jones in doubt, this felt like the end of an era with only Virgil van Dijk of Jurgen Klopp’s great side still commanding a first-team place.
