Egyptian king\u2019s landmark goal against Brentford keeps Liverpool in top-four hunt
\n LIVERPOOL
\nMohamed Salah\u2019s landmark goal sealed Liverpool\u2019s 1-0 win against Brentford to keep their Premier League top-four hopes alive on Saturday.
\nThe Egypt forward\u2019s first-half finish made him the first player in Liverpool history to net in nine successive games at Anfield, with his strike taking him to 100 career goals at the stadium.
\nHe also moved level with Steven Gerrard\u2019s Liverpool tally of 186 goals, sitting in joint fifth place in the club\u2019s all-time scoring list.
\nFor the third season in a row, Salah has reached 30 goals in all competitions.
\n\u201cMohamed Salah is special. A lot of people don\u2019t appreciate players when they are still playing. For us, it\u2019s clear. He is an all-time great,\u201d Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said.
\n\u201cI can\u2019t see him stopping, that\u2019s just his nature. You need to have this desire to score goals.
\n\u201cHe works hard to close players down. We all know some world class players don\u2019t do that, but he does. I\u2019m really proud of him.\u201d
\nKlopp\u2019s fifth-placed team climbed within one point of fourth-placed Manchester United after their sixth successive league victory.
\nUnited\u2019s defeat at Brighton in midweek has given Liverpool renewed hope of qualifying for the Champions League via a top-four berth.
\nBut United have two games in hand and remain favourites to finish above their bitter rivals.
\n\u201cIf Manchester United win their games in hand, then they are seven points away and it is pretty much done. We know that,\u201d Klopp said.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s an interesting period. We have to make sure we keep the teams behind us, behind us because they are coming. Nothing is decided and that\u2019s good.\u201d
\nSalah\u2019s memorable evening was partially overshadowed by the Liverpool fans who booed the national anthem just hours after the coronation ceremony for King Charles III at Westminster Abbey.
\nLiverpool said on Friday they would play the anthem prior to kick-off despite acknowledging \u201csome supporters have strong views\u201d on the subject.
\nAs \u201cGod Save the King\u201d was played, boos and jeers were eventually drowned out by chants of \u201cLiverpool\u201d from the home fans.
\nLiverpool supporters have repeatedly booed the anthem in recent years, most notably ahead of last season\u2019s FA Cup final.
\nUK government plans to leave the city to \u201cmanaged decline\u201d in the 1980s and the cover-up that followed the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, which caused the death of 97 Liverpool fans, have been cited as reasons for anti-establishment protest.
\nOnce the focus switched from the dissenters in the stands to the action on the pitch, Liverpool showed why Klopp says coaching \u201cis a joy again\u201d after their recent revival.
\nLiverpool were beaten 3-1 at Brentford in January in the midst of a dismal spell that encapsulated their largely disappointing season.
\nThey are a more cohesive unit now and Salah opened the scoring with his landmark goal in the 13th minute.
\nFabinho\u2019s lofted pass was headed back across goal by Virgil van Dijk and Salah was on hand to stab home from close-range.
\nDarwin Nunez missed a sitter when he scuffed wide from close-range after Trent Alexander-Arnold\u2019s lofted pass split the Brentford defence.
\nBrentford threatened to punish Nunez\u2019s profligacy when Ivan Toney whistled a free-kick just wide from 30 yards.
\nBryan Mbeumo thought he had equalised after accelerating away from Van Dijk to slot past Alisson Becker, but the goal was disallowed for a tight offside call.
\nLiverpool were unbeaten in their last 122 Premier League matches when leading at half-time.
\nCody Gakpo should have put them closer to maintaining that streak when he somehow missed from close-range after Diogo Jota\u2019s pass presented him with a glorious chance.
\nIn a second half with little rhythm due to endless fouls by both teams, Gakpo blasted narrowly wide as Liverpool nervously hung onto their lead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Egyptian king\u2019s landmark goal against Brentford keeps Liverpool in top-four hunt LIVERPOOL Mohamed Salah\u2019s landmark goal sealed Liverpool\u2019s 1-0 win against Brentford to keep their Premier League top-four hopes alive on Saturday. The Egypt forward\u2019s first-half finish made him the first player in Liverpool history to net in nine successive games at Anfield, with his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":330028,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-329993","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n