Liverpool marched to a sixth successive Premier League victory thanks to Mohamed Salah's landmark goal in a 1-0 triumph over Brentford at Anfield.
Following a rendition of the national anthem being drowned out by a cacophony of boos, Salah's 13th-minute effort proved decisive in a tight and often fiery contest, as Jurgen Klopp's men sent out another message to their top-four rivals.
With captain Jordan Henderson only fit enough for the bench due to a knock, Klopp's lineup comprised four attackers in Salah, Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez, as Thomas Frank made the ostensibly smart switch to a five-man backline.
However, the Bees could barely venture out of their own half in the opening minutes, and the Reds deservedly broke the deadlock in the 13th minute thanks to a milestone effort from their effervescent Egyptian.
Fabinho picked the ball up on the right and lofted a cross to the back post, where Virgil van Dijk was there to meet it, and the Dutchman headed across goal for Salah to volley home into the roof of the net from a yard out.
One of the easiest Anfield goals that he will ever score proved to be Salah's 100th at the stadium, where he has also now scored in nine successive matches across all tournaments - a feat no Liverpool player had ever achieved before.
Klopp's side were not short of opportunities to extend their lead, as Van Dijk sent a speculative long-range effort wide in the 21st minute before Trent Alexander-Arnold picked out the run of Nunez with a sumptuous ball over the top in the 29th minute, but the Uruguayan wasted that gilt-edged chance, as his chipped shot sailed harmlessly over the bar.
Having been gifted a few reprieves, Brentford began to grow in confidence towards the end of the half, coming close to an equaliser in the 38th minute as Ivan Toney's low drive from a free kick flashed just wide of the post.
100 GOALS FOR SALAH AT ANFIELD! ✅🔴 pic.twitter.com/vMrrNW7ZzY
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 6, 2023
The Bees thought that the equaliser had arrived in the 40th minute when Bryan Mbeumo gave Van Dijk the spin on the halfway line, galloped forward and skipped beyond Alisson Becker to fire home, but the offside flag belatedly went up.
Brentford started the second half as they had ended the first, but Liverpool let another glorious chance go begging in the 52nd minute, as Gakpo was seemingly destined to tap home from Jota's cutback with the goal at his mercy, but the ball bounced off the Dutchman's thigh and away from danger.
Yellow cards were being brandished left, right and centre - mainly to Liverpool - as Anthony Taylor became the target of the home fans' frustrations, but Klopp's rearguard remained intact approaching the final 15 minutes.
The reborn Alexander-Arnold continued to enjoy unbridled freedom of the final third and tested David Raya with a 25-yard strike in the 78th minute, but once again, the resulting corner came to nothing.
Six minutes later, a misplaced header from Aaron Hickey laid the ball on a plate for Gakpo to finish the game off, but he fired wide of Raya's near post as Klopp's men squandered yet another golden opportunity.
Attempting to emulate his opposite number Alisson, Raya came up for a couple of injury-time corners, but the hosts held on to add another centurion to their ranks, as Alisson brought up his 100th clean sheet for the Merseyside giants.
Fifth-placed Liverpool have now moved to within one point of Manchester United, but the Red Devils have two games in hand, while Brentford sit ninth, five points behind Brighton & Hove Albion in the final European spot having played three games more.
Klopp's men return to the road to take on Leicester City in nine days' time, while the Bees attempt to reignite their fading continental chances at home to London rivals West Ham United next Sunday.
Ben Knapton
