Liverpool 1-0 Brentford: Player ratings as milestone Salah goal closes gap on top four
Mohamed Salah's 100th goal at Anfield was enough to earn Liverpool a 1-0 win over Brentford in Saturday's late game.
Salah ghosted in unmarked to turn home Virgil van Dijk's header across the box, netting for the ninth successive home game against a Brentford side who remained in the game throughout.
Bryan Mbeumo had a goal ruled out for offside while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cody Gakpo also went close, but it was a game of few chances on Merseyside.
As anticipated, Liverpool's supporters marked the playing of the national anthem - to mark King Charles III's coronation - with widespread boos, just as they had done so for Prince William prior to last season's FA Cup final meeting with Chelsea.
But that was put to one side as Liverpool looked to make a fast start against Thomas Frank's Bees, who have exceeded expectations in their second season as a Premier League outfit.
Virgil van Dijk picked up an early yellow card for sliding through the back of Frank Onyeka, before Salah had the first shot on David Raya's goal.
It wasn't long before the Spaniard was picking the ball out of his net - Fabinho's lofted ball into the penalty area finding Van Dijk unmarked at the back post, and his header across the six-yard box found allowed an unmarked Salah to bundle the ball home at the second time of asking.
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Darwin Nunez then turned Trent Alexander-Arnold's exquisite ball over Raya's crossbar - a miss that epitomised the Uruguayan's struggles in front of goal this season - but Brentford were always in the contest.
Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo were particularly bright up top in the first 45 minutes, and they almost combined to set the former through after Alexander-Arnold's defensive error.
Minutes later, Mbeumo had the ball in the back of the net from Toney's wonderfully weighted curled pass. But the Cameroonian international had sprung the offside trap a touch too early, though his composure to beat Alisson while holding off the retreating Van Dijk was admirable.
Liverpool's energy didn't really improve after the break, with Brentford enjoying enough possession to make a game of it and Toney continuing to be a nuisance.
The one criticism that you could level at Frank's side is that they lacked a cutting edge in front of goal. Indeed, Liverpool were the side who looked most likely to fashion a clear-cut chance, though even they were restricted to few opportunities.
Diogo Jota's fizzed cross hit Cody Gakpo on the knee when the goal was gaping, before Alexander-Arnold's rasping shot was tipped wide by Raya. Dutchman Gakpo then had a late chance after Aaron Hickey's mistake, but he was unable to add to his recent haul of goals.
The shutout was Alisson's 100th clean sheet for Liverpool, while Salah's milestone achievements have closed the gap to Manchester United in fourth place to just a point - the Red Devils do have two games in hand though.
Liverpool player ratings (4-3-3)
GK: Alisson Becker - 6/10 - Not the busiest afternoon for the Brazilian number one, who kept his 100th clean sheet for Liverpool.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7/10 - Tops the recent Premier League charts for chances created and all that good stuff - effortless in a way whereas defending just isn't natural. Passing on point, generally.
CB: Ibrahima Konate - 6/10 - Lucky not to be cautioned in the first half as Toney and Mbeumo caused problems.
CB: Virgil van Dijk - 6/10 - Booked early on for a rash tackle from behind on Onyeka. Good awareness to nod sideways for Salah's opener.
LB: Andy Robertson - 6/10 - With the emphasis on Alexander-Arnold to bulk up numbers in midfield, Robertson's game has been limited somewhat. Marauding runs down the left flank were at a premium.
DM: Fabinho - 6/10 - Lovely ball into the back post to find Van Dijk, who laid it on a plate for Salah. Still looks a shadow of his former self.
AM: Curtis Jones - 7/10 - The 22-year-old is starting to grow into Liverpool's midfield and is definitely a beneficiary of Klopp's change of system.
AM: Cody Gakpo - 6/10 - A slightly different role for Gakpo, playing behind Nunez, but he adapted well and zoomed about with great energy and purpose.
RW: Mohamed Salah - 8/10 - A 30th goal of the season got Salah on the board for the ninth consecutive Liverpool home game - no player has ever done that in the club's history. Was also the Egyptian's 100th Anfield goal.
CF: Darwin Nunez - 5/10 - Fluffed his lines from Alexander-Arnold's terrific lofted pass - technique was difficult but a player with confidence in front of goal would have done better.
LW: Diogo Jota - 6/10 - Not overly involved in proceedings as Brentford stifled Liverpool's attempts to build up sustained pressure.
Substitutes
SUB: Luis Diaz (65' for Nunez) - 5/10 - A peripheral figure as Brentford nullified Liverpool's threat on the wings.
SUB: Jordan Henderson (73' for Jota) - N/A
SUB: James Milner (81' for Jones) - N/A
SUB: Kostas Tsimikas (81' for Robertson) - N/A
Subs not used: Kelleher, Gomez, Matip, Elliott, Carvalho
Manager
Jurgen Klopp - 7/10 - Liverpool look so much more dangerous with Alexander-Arnold patrolling in midfield - a decision that has seemed to unlock elements of Curtis Jones' game. Will be frustrated his side didn't push on but job done.
Brentford player ratings (3-5-2)
GK: David Raya - 7/10 - Not the 27-year-old's best day distribution-wise but made a superb stop from Alexander-Arnold in the second half. Powerless to prevent Salah breaking the deadlock.
CB: Zanka - 7/10 - Would have anticipated being run ragged by a combination of Gakpo, Jota and Diaz, but the Dane had a lid on things throughout.
CB: Ethan Pinnock - 6/10 - Coped with the physical threat of Nunez relatively comfortably.
CB: Ben Mee - 6/10 - May have been expecting a Liverpool onslaught that never really came.
RM: Aaron Hickey - 6/10 - Showed his versatility to play on both the right and left flank - made a glaring late error that Gakpo was unable to punish.
CM: Vitaly Janelt - 6/10 - The least noticeable of Brentford's three central midfielders but kept things simple in possession.
CM: Frank Onyeka - 6/10 - Buzzed about in central midfield and closed down the spaces that Jota and Gakpo like to operate in.
CM: Mathias Jensen - 7/10 - Won a number of duels to help Brentford turn over possession and keep Liverpool thinking.
LM: Rico Henry - 7/10 - Caused a few problems for Liverpool down the right and generally did well against Salah. Booked.
CF: Bryan Mbeumo - 6/10 - Tireless running off the ball stretched Liverpool's defence at times. Occasionally lacked quality when it was really needed.
CF: Ivan Toney - 8/10 - Link-up play in the first half was absolutely fantastic at times. Really, really impressive showing.
Substitutes
SUB: Josh Dasilva (73' for Onyeka) - 6/10 - Not enough time to make a meaningful contribution.
SUB: Kevin Schade (73' for Henry) - 5/10 - Looks a little short of confidence and could definitely do with a goal.
SUB: Mikkel Damsgaard (82' for Jensen) - N/A
SUB: Shandon Baptiste (82' for Janelt) - N/A
SUB: Yoane Wissa (88' for Hickey) - N/A
Subs not used: Cox, Ajer, Roerslev, Ghoddos
Manager
Thomas Frank - 7/10 - Plenty of positives for Frank to take away despite losing narrowly - particularly Toney's performance up front and the fact Brentford stopped Liverpool from playing with any fluidity.