Photoby John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
The Reds star scored a match-winning hat trick in a nervy Reds
victory on opening day.
“Wow,” Jürgen Klopp was caught on camera mouthing at full-time
of Liverpool’s high-octane 4-3 victory over Leeds United on opening day.
The Reds’ Premier League title defense is officially underway,
and on today’s evidence, it’s going to be a wild one. The Reds only
just eked out a win against Marcelo Biela’s team, with the visitors
taking it to the champions on their return to the Premier
League.
Jurgen Klopp saying wow to Leeds United’s
performance against Liverpool! pic.twitter.com/zTz8fFlDVW— Football Daily (@footballdaily) September 12, 2020
A goal from Virgil Van Dijk bookended by a cracker of a strike
and two penalties from Mohamed Salah ended up being enough, but
Klopp’s side were run ragged by last season’s Championship title
holders, the hosts missing a raft of golden chances and needing a
late penalty to put the newly-promoted side away.
However, regardless of how they came, the three points still
accrued to the men in Red and the focus was on Salah after his man
of the match hat trick performance.
“I’m happy about the result and we have to keep on improving and
try not to concede as many goals,” the Egyptian said, speaking to
Sky Sports after the game.
“It’s more important for me to just keep focus and score the
goal to get the three points.”
The 28-year-old reached an individual milestone in leading the
Reds to victory, breaking Wayne Rooney
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has scored.
35 – Liverpool have now won each of the last
35 @premierleague games in which Mo Salah has scored – he
has overtaken Wayne Rooney’s competition record of 34 consecutive
wins when scoring from September 2008 to February 2011. King.
pic.twitter.com/7wkA9Dmywz— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 12, 2020
Bielsa’s well drilled side exposed the holders in some areas,
with Salah acknowledging that the goals the Reds conceded
highlighted a need to focus on improving for a tough campaign
ahead.
“[Leeds are] a tough team, they press high as well, so the
intensity was really high, the winger admitted.
“We shouldn’t have conceded three, but this is the game, we have
to react for that and we did a good job.
“It’s a tough team, to be fair. They had a great game. There’s
no fans but they play, they react really well and they scored three
goals against us—that’s huge.”
Things don’t easier with a new-look Chelsea followed by an impressive-looking Arsenal up next. We all know Klopp said he
wanted to “attack the title” rather than just defend it, but the
boss will need get things shored up fast.