Mo Salah: Egyptian King Marks AFCON Return in Style, Scores and Assists As Liverpool Rout Brentford

• Mohamed Salah marked his Liverpool return in style
• The Egyptian notched a goal and an assist for the Reds
• His efforts contributed to a statement win over Brentford

Mohamed Salah made a triumphant return from injury and his Africa Cup of Nations hiatus, contributing a goal and an assist as Liverpool secured a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Brentford on Saturday.

Salah, who came on as a substitute for the injured Diogo Jota, made his first appearance for the Reds since their victory over Newcastle on New Year's Day.

Having recuperated from the hamstring injury sustained while on international duty with Egypt at the 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations earlier in the month, the Egyptian wasted no time in making an impact, netting his first goal since the Newcastle encounter.

Casemiro's stats: How has the Brazilian midfielder transformed Manchester United since joining the team?

Football

Salah's performance at Liverpool

With his strike against Brentford, Salah's goal tally for the season now stands at an impressive 19 across all competitions, per Transfermarkt, positioning him as a key figure in Liverpool's pursuit of multiple trophies in what marks Jurgen Klopp's final season as manager.

While the 31-year-old faced criticism for his performance at the AFCON prior to his injury, the former Chelsea winger delivered a stellar performance upon his return, earning plaudits for his impeccable display.

His contributions against Brentford ensured that Liverpool maintained their position at the top of the Premier League table, with Arsenal and Manchester City in close pursuit in what promises to be a fiercely contested title race.

According to Opta Statistics, Salah's feat of both scoring and assisting in 30 different Premier League games places him in esteemed company, trailing only Wayne Rooney (36), Thierry Henry (32), and Alan Shearer (31) in the competition's history.

Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer: Is CR7 leaving Manchester United and which clubs are likely to acquire him?

Football

What's next for Salah?

Following his impressive performance against Brentford, Salah will shift his focus to the upcoming clash against Luton Town as Liverpool prepares to welcome the Hatters to Anfield on February 21 in the Premier League.

However, Salah will face a considerable challenge as Jurgen Klopp is set to be without several key first-team players due to injury, with Diogo Jota, Curtis Jones, and Darwin Nunez all sidelined and joining the treatment table.

Liverpool make light work of Brentford

Relatedly, Sports Brief reported that Liverpool asserted their dominance with a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Brentford, further solidifying their position as Premier League leaders despite grappling with a string of injuries.

Salah's 19th goal of the season across all competitions paved the way for Liverpool's sixth win in seven league matches.

Darwin Nunez, often criticised, opened the scoring with a magnificent chip late in the first half. Alexis Mac Allister extended Liverpool's lead after halftime with only his second goal of the season.

Although Ivan Toney pulled one back for Brentford, Cody Gakpo's late strike ensured Liverpool secured a five-point lead at the top of the table.