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Mohamed salah scored a hat-trick like Liverpool cut three counterattacks from Leeds to start your Premier League defense with an exciting 4-3 win at Anfield.
The return of Leeds to the English top flight with Marcelo Bielsa after an absence of 16 years was highly anticipated and a clash against the reigning champions lived up to expectations, as they drew three times through Jack Harrison, Patrick Bamford and Mateusz Klich to cancel Salah. Double in the first half and header by Virgil van Dijk.
However, Salah’s second penalty of the game with two minutes remaining ensured Liverpool got off to a winning start.
Liverpool lost points at Anfield just once in their run to a first league title in 30 years last season, but were nearly undone on the opening day of their title defense by Leeds’ daring attacking effort and a series of mistakes. defensive.
The hosts got off to a perfect start when Salah’s shot was handled inside the box by Robin Koch and the Egyptian scored the resulting penalty.
True to coach Bielsa’s philosophy, Leeds were undaunted by the early conceding blow and headed out to face the champions.
Harrison tied in style when the Manchester City loaned winger cut into Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez before shooting low and hard at Alisson Becker.
But it was at the back, Leeds looked like a newly promoted team, as the weak mark allowed Van Dijk a free header that Illan Meslier should have saved rather than letting the ball slip down the line.
Van Dijk has been nearly flawless in two and a half seasons since his signing transformed Liverpool’s fortunes with Klopp.
However, a penalty shoot-out was reminiscent of the German’s early days in charge at Anfield, as Van Dijk committed a serious foul for Leeds’ second as his punt attempt took Bamford perfectly to one side further. by Alisson.
– Defensive struggles persist –
Poorer defense from a set piece meant the visitors again didn’t hold par for long, as a Pascal Struijk header on an Andy Robertson free kick hit Salah on the edge of the area and he controlled before unleashing. an unstoppable shot in the top corner. .
Opportunities continued to flow on both ends in the second half when Georginio Wijnaldum, who has been strongly linked with a move to join former Dutch national team manager Ronald Koeman in Barcelona, was turned away by a good save from Meslier.
Alexander-Arnold was saved from an embarrassing own goal by an offside flag against Harrison, but Leeds tied for the third time when Liverpool’s defense was cut off again by a Helder Costa pass and Klich controlled before volleying further. by Alisson.
Liverpool have not lost a home game in the Premier League since April 2017 and Leeds came very close to ending that record when Kalvin Phillips took a free kick inches from Alisson’s right post.
But Jurgen Klopp’s men got used to scoring late winners on their way to the title last season and the Reds responded as champions for the fourth time later.
After Van Dijk disallowed another corner goal for a Curtis Jones foul, Leeds record signing Rodrigo made sure to have a debut to forget with a headlong lunge on Fabinho to give Liverpool a second penalty of the game.
Salah completed his hat-trick by staying calm again to send Meslier down the wrong track and ensure Liverpool did not stumble in the title race.
