Mo Salah scored a hat trick to secure a 4-3 victory for English Premier League champion Liverpool in a breathtaking opening day match against Leeds United side at Anfield on Saturday.
The away side came from behind three times and looked set to be earning a precious point until Salah converted an 89th-minute penalty after Leeds’ club-record signing Rodrigo fouled Fabinho to concede the spot-kick.
Promoted as champion from the English second flight last season, Leeds put on a command performance to push Liverpool all the way in a match that would have graced a packed stadium rather than a scattering of squad players and officials.
“What a game, what an opponent, what a performance from both teams,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said. “It was a proper spectacle, I loved that. But we have left space for improvement in our defending, but that is not unusual for a first game.”
The fact that Liverpool won, courtesy of Salah’s late penalty, is a testament to their quality and determination, but this team certainly has its weaknesses.
