Mo Salah, with his 30th goal of the season, again secured three points for Liverpool. In what was, for the most part, a dour and uninspiring game, it was the Egyptian’s 15th minute strike that saw off a spirited Brentford performance. It was a goal that keeps alive faint hopes of Champions League football alive.
Liverpool’s third game in six days, gleaning an invaluable nine points in the process, was at times a difficult watch. Brentford, never quite out of it, with the impressive Toney, causing the Reds endless problems, pushed what is now a more resilient Liverpool to the final whistle. Constantly impressive and aggressive during their many set pieces, the Londoners however never looking certain to score, often looked like they just might. Long throws, deep crosses, and passes behind Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk were endless and Liverpool never looked entirely comfortable.
Jurgen Klopp will rightly be pleased that two successive league victories at Anfield were achieved without conceding a goal. He’ll also recognise that, against neither Fulham nor Brentford, did Liverpool sparkle or produce their best football. However, with the imperious Salah at his disposal, two 1-0 victories have helped secure 18 consecutive league points. Had that been produced at Christmas time rather than at Easter, it would have had them securely in fourth place rather than chasing it.
So three league games remain. Liverpool could reach 71 points – a total that looked near impossible just a month ago and a total, should either United from Manchester or Newcastle slip up, that might just secure participation in Europe’s premier competition next season. Of course, Leicester, Aston Villa, and Southampton will have something to say about that, but the season could yet contain a silver lining, in what has been a heavy grey cloud that had descended upon much of Anfield this season.
