Mohamed Salah Sounds Warning to Liverpool Defence After Leeds Thriller

12 September 2020 23:00

Opening day hat-trick hero Mohamed Salah has warned Liverpool's defenders they must improve in the coming weeks after conceding three goals to newly-promoted Leeds United.

The Premier League champions won 4-3 at Anfield, but they were made to sweat for the three points, bagging a late winner from the penalty spot after striker Rodrigo gifted the hosts a needless spot-kick.

Salah did the rest, converting from 12 yards to complete his treble and get the current champions off to the perfect start in their title defence. But the Egyptian superstar was less than impressed by his defensive teammates, and he was quick to challenge them to raise their performances after the final whistle.

"We have to try not conceding too many goals," Salah said, quoted by the Express.

"We shouldn't have conceded three but this is the game. We have to react from that and we did a good job. It is a good start for us. It is a tough team and they press high as well. The intensity was really high.

"It's a tough team to be fair. They have a great game playing away and they acted really well. They scored three goals against us but I'm happy with the result."

Liverpool's typically sturdy defence was caught cold on several occasions by the Leeds forward line, who helped themselves to three excellent goals on Merseyside. The Reds were ripped apart by Jack Harrison's early equaliser, after the winger beat Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez all ends up before firing low into the back of the net.

Virgil van Dijk was next to drop a clanger, mis-kicking his clearance which fell to the feet of Patrick Bamford, and the English forward slotted home cooly to draw the Whites level for a second time. Liverpool's defensive misery was complete in the second half, when Leeds cut their hosts apart with one incisive pass, and Mateusz Klich found space in the box to rifle home.

It was an important three points and a winning start for the Reds, but Salah is right to be concerned by their defensive issues.

Source: 90min