Arne Slot‘s first official Anfield engagement as Liverpool manager was a successful one as his side beat Brentford 2-0 on Sunday.
The Reds bossed a highly-watchable game and made it two wins out of two in this season’s Premier League thanks to goals from Luis Diaz and Mo Salah.
Club legend Salah has now been directly involved in 128 goals in 128 Premier League games at Anfield for Liverpool – 93 goals, plus 35 assists.
LEWIS STEELE was at Anfield for Mail Sport on Sunday and he picked out Luis Diaz as the man of the match.
Read on for the rest of his player ratings.
Mo Salah pictured celebrating after scoring Liverpool’s second goal in their win over Brentford
LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1)
Alisson 7
Barely had a save to make until the final seconds of the first half when Lewis-Potter struck one with power. It was an easy stop but Alisson did well not to parry the ball to Wissa who was lurking with intent. Good reflex save from Collins on 56 minutes.
Trent Alexander-Arnold 7
Had to make some important defensive actions when Lewis-Potter ran at him. Alexander-Arnold played some lovely passes, too, including a disguised ball to Salah in the first half.
Ibrahima Konate 8
In for Jarell Quansah after replacing the youngster at half-time last week. The big Frenchman won the header from Brentford’s corner that led to Liverpool’s first goal on the counter-attack. Made several other important interceptions. Competition for places is healthy.
Virgil van Dijk 7
Also had to use his head to make some decisive interventions. Led the team well and got the better of Wissa and Mbeumo.
Andy Robertson 8
Revealed this week that he is playing ‘pain free’ for the first time in five months and it shows. Some fans think Robertson’s best days are behind him but this was a great performance from the Scotland captain, consistently causing danger when he attacked.
Reds left back Andy Robertson (centre) produced two shots, three key passes and six crosses
Ryan Gravenberch 6.5 (Booked)
Still learning the No 6 role so it would be harsh to overly criticise the Dutchman. But he often took too long on the ball and was skipped past by Brentford midfielders a few times. Some nice passes, though, breaking the lines and starting attacks.
Alexis Mac Allister 6.5
Put in a good defensive shift but did not have his usual influence on proceedings in an attacking sense.
Mohamed Salah 8
Looks so sharp after a good rest and fitness regime over the summer. Came close on several occasions and was unlucky not to score having been denied by Flekken more than once. Finally got his goal with a clinical finish midway through the second half.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 7.5 (Booked)
Looks fitter than he was last year. The Hungary captain had some lovely touches in an attacking sense and could have easily opened his account for the season. More pleasing was his defensive work with several lung-busting recovery runs.
Luis Diaz 8.5
Clinical finish to open the scoring. It has been said many times but if Diaz can add more goals to his game, he has all the tools to be an elite forward. The Colombian then got the assist for Salah’s goal to cap off a man-of-the-match display.
Star winger Luis Diaz scored Liverpool’s first goal and then provided the assist for their second
Diogo Jota 7
Started the season well and added to his goal at Ipswich with a nice assist here for Diaz’s opener. He played the pass at the perfect time with the correct weight on it.
Substitutes
Cody Gakpo (for Diaz, 72) 6
Darwin Nunez (for Jota, 72) 6
Conor Bradley (for Alexander-Arnold, 72) 6
Harvey Elliott (for Salah, 83)
Wataru Endo (for Gravenberch, 90+1)
Subs not used: Caoimhin Kelleher, Joe Gomez, Kostas Tsimikas, Jarell Quansah.
BRENTFORD (4-3-3)
Mark Flekken 7.5
Could he have closed the angle down better for Diaz’s opener? It is perhaps harsh to suggest that given the ferocity of the finish but it felt like he could have given it a better go. Made up for it with a string of superb stops otherwise, twice denying Robertson for example.
Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken (left) was beaten twice but he also pulled off six saves
Mads Roerslev 6
Struggled against Diaz on that side but made some good attacking contributions as the first half ticked on.
Ethan Pinnock 7
Barley put a foot wrong in the first half and cannot be blamed for his team’s set-up for the opening goal, which left them open defensively from their own corner. Excellent block to deny Diaz a second on 49 minutes.
Nathan Collins 6.5
Kept Jota reasonably quiet early on and made a vital block to deny a powerful Alexander-Arnold effort in the first half. Was unlucky with a powerful header at the other end shortly after the break.
Kristoffer Ajer 7
A right-footed centre half playing at left back so deserves a lot of credit for how he adapted and enjoyed his battle with Salah.
Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer (back) and Salah (front) pictured battling for the ball
Vitaly Janelt 6
Lost possession too easily in a half-bothered challenge on the edge of Liverpool’s penalty area which led to the first goal.
Mathias Jensen 6 (Booked)
Nasty tackle on Mac Allister saw him get booked. Buzzed around with lots of energy in midfield.
Christian Norgaard 6 (Booked)
Also booked for a mistimed tackle. Led the drive to play out from the back and squandered Brentford’s best chance of the first half when he glanced a header just wide on 32 minutes. Should have done better.
Bryan Mbeumo – 6.5
Beautiful free-kick for the aforementioned Norgaard chance in the first half. Drove his team forward well on the counter-attack.
Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo (left) was Brentford’s best attacking player at Anfield
Yoane Wissa 5
Did not impact the game enough in the first half with just 16 touches. Made some important defensive contributions, though.
Keane Lewis-Potter 6
Doubled up on Salah down that side with a solid defensive shift. Saw a shot well saved by Alisson late in the first half and had some good runs.
Substitutes
Mikkel Damsgaard (for Lewis-Potter, 65) 6
Fabio Carvalho (for Jensen, 65) 6
Frank Onyeka (for Janelt, 73) 6
Kevin Schade (for Wissa, 73) 6
Subs not used: Hakon Valdimarsson, Ben Mee, Ryan Trevitt, Sepp van den Berg, Yehor Yarmolyuk.
