Jurgen Klopp hopes Mohamed Salah’s goal-scoring return to action in Liverpool’s 4-1 win at Brentford proved the injury-hit Premier League leaders can cope without their walking wounded.
Salah netted Liverpool’s third goal on Saturday in his first appearance since returning from a hamstring tear suffered on Egypt duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Darwin Nunez, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo also scored in Liverpool’s sixth win in their last seven league games.
But the victory came at a cost as Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota were both lost to what looked significant injuries in the first half.
Jones left the stadium on crutches after injuring his ankle and Jota departed on a stretcher, whilst Nunez was also withdrawn with a knock.
“We have to see how (bad). We don’t know that yet. The fact Curtis cannot play on tells you it must be something because he would have played on at all costs,” Klopp said.
“Diogo looks worse. I didn’t see it back but I heard the pictures didn’t look great. We have to see there.
“Darwin we took off because he said he felt a little something but it was enough for us to push the brake, so we took him off.”
Klopp was pleased with the resolute way Liverpool ignored the injuries to secure their first league win at Brentford since the west Londoners were promoted in 2021.
“The performance level could have dropped (after the injuries), but it was the other way around,” he said.
“We played an exceptional game, by far the best game we’ve played at Brentford.
“Dealing with all the specific situations they create, and being as dominated you can somehow be, be calm in the right moments, be direct in the right moments, use their man-marking, play against the line. I saw a top game.”
Klopp was buoyed by Salah’s display on his first Liverpool appearance since January 1, but acknowledged the loss of Jones and Jota was far from ideal.
Liverpool face Luton in the Premier League on Wednesday, then take on Chelsea in the League Cup final at Wembley on February 25.
They are also still competing in the FA Cup and Europa League.
“Mo played the first game for weeks. He could have had a hat-trick. The goal he scored was absolutely outstanding. Cody’s goal was absolutely outstanding as well,” Klopp said.
“You can count the games coming up. It would be helpful if we had a bit more than one (player) for each position. But it’s all fine. That’s the situation and we cannot change it.
“I can’t remember one day here that it was easy, no problems at all. We have problems. We don’t know exactly how big they are. As long as we have 11 players we will go for it.”
