Key talking points from Liverpool's easy 4-1 win at Brentford

Liverpool eased to a 4-1 victory over Brentford on Saturday lunchtime and Mohamed Salah made a decisive contribution on his return from injury.

Salah was on the scoresheet alongside Darwin Nunez, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo, with Ivan Toney scoring a second-half consolation for the Bees.

It was not all good news for Jurgen Klopp, though, who watched three players limp out of the game with injury.

We analyse the key talking points.

Convincing leaders

This was a compelling performance from Liverpool, who survived an early scare to control the vast majority of the match.

And while it was their gifted attacking players who produced the goals, Klopp may be most pleased with the way his side hardly gave Brentford a sniff.

Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate continue to develop their solid centre-back partnership, Conor Bradley was outstanding and Wataru Endo is proving to be a shrewd buy at the base of midfield.

With fixtures across all competitions coming quickly, the league leaders look more solid than at any stage in the last 18 months. 

Devastating counter

But it was a moment of true quality that turned the game in Liverpool's favour in the first half.

Brentford were punished for leaving no defenders back from an attacking set-piece when a high clearance set Diogo Jota and Nunez away on the break.

Jota watched the ball all the way out of the sky and brilliantly put an improvised header into the path of Nunez.

And the striker, so profligate at times this season, chipped goalkeeper Mark Flekken with a classy finish.

Injury blows

That goal was a pre-cursor to the considerable loss of both attackers to injury, with Jota stretchered off just before half-time and Nunez not reappearing after the break.

And losing Curtis Jones to another first-half knock soured what was otherwise a good day for Liverpool. 

The midfielder's injury is a serious blow to both Klopp and potentially Gareth Southgate, who is surely considering calling him up for his next England squad.

Jota had scored five goals in six coming into this match so any long-term injury for him or Nunez would also badly harm the Reds' Quadruple hopes.

Super Mo

The return of Salah from injury in place of Jota was a fair consolation, though.

Having miscued a chance early in the second half, the Egyptian was soon at his best as he teed up Mac Allister for Liverpool's second.

And determined not to miss out on the fun, he dispatched his side's third in front of his delighted supporters.

Having their talisman back up and running ahead of next weekend's Carabao Cup final is massive for Liverpool.

Becalmed Bees

Brentford have a reputation for giving the best teams in the country a torrid time at the Gtech Community Stadium but have lost their aura this season.

This 4-1 victory for Liverpool was the Bees' seventh defeat in 12 at home, a run that includes a 3-1 reversal against Manchester City and two losses to Arsenal.

There was an early flurry from Thomas Frank's side here, with eight shots aimed at Caoimhin Kelleher's goal in the first half.

But they have been a little too hospitable this season and were once again unable to find their trademark tenacity for the majority of the match.