A new season but the same old prolific Mohamed Salah came out to play as Liverpool got their season up and running with a 3-0 win at Norwich.
There’s no feeling quite like the one that a new season brings when optimism is in the air and the hopes for what could be come May are playing on loop.
And Jurgen Klopp‘s side offered a taste at what is yet to come as they eased a spirited Norwich outfit to one side despite still visibly having more gears to click into.
Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino and Salah all etched their name on the scoreboard for the first three points of the new campaign, with the No. 11 having a hand in all.
Reds couldn’t have asked for a better start, and here are five things fans have been talking about after the win at Carrow Road.
Mo is simply ridiculous
We shouldn’t expect any less at this point, but Salah continually finds a way to leave an impression and set records at every turn.
A fifth successive season with an opening day goal makes him the first ever to do so in the Premier League and it’s a formidable sign of what is to come for the opposition this season:
I don’t think Liverpool fans actually understand how lucky we are to have Mohammed Salah. I think without him we don’t have a premier league and a champions league, absolute unbelievable player man, one of the all time premier league greats.
— Cooper™? (@ftblcooper) August 14, 2021
https://twitter.com/DanBoredman/status/1426663403876126723
Give Salah whatever he wants. It’s not even a debate.
— Leanne Prescott (@_lfcleanne) August 14, 2021
Mohamed Salah vs. Norwich
71% Pass accuracy
3 Chances created
2 Assists
2/5 Shots on target
1 Goal
2/3 Dribbles completed
3/7 Duels wonA timeless performance from one of the world's very best. There's no stopping this man. pic.twitter.com/aTmS0aw2DK
— The Tactical Times (@Tactical_Times) August 14, 2021
Start as you mean to go on Salah and we’ve got another 20+ goal season coming at us…dare we even say 30+?
Alisson turns it on
He didn’t have much to do throughout the 90 minutes and could have been forgiven for conceding late with Norwich peppering his goal at the death, but that he didn’t said everything about the No. 1.
We’re very lucky to have him…but can we talk about how he just calmly palms the ball to Trent at the end of it all!:
Again class by #Alisson!
This time it’s a close range 1v1 which has always been his strength!
The crucial detail here is the step forward before he attempts the smother technique, that means he fills a huge portion of the goal & increases his chance of making the save!#NORLIV pic.twitter.com/khlrt4C7UU
— John Harrison (@Jhdharrison1) August 14, 2021
Alisson keeping that clean sheet. Best keeper in the world. ?? ? https://t.co/F7WCYL5RQx
— Samuel (@SamueILFC) August 14, 2021
The first clean sheet of many!
Van Dijk returns!
The Dutchman breathes new life into this Liverpool team when he is on the field, we stand and walk taller in his presence and he may have been out for 302 days, but it didn’t look that way.
It’s a moment he, and millions of Reds, have been waiting for and that he completed his first 90 minutes in 10 months without fault was a huge relief and no doubt a confidence booster for Van Dijk:
Crazy how van Dijk graciously gave every other defender 12 months to catch up with him and, upon his return, the only one close to his level is Joel Matip
— barry (@BackseatsmanLFC) August 14, 2021
Just dropped in to say Virgil van Dijk is still the best in the business ?
— The Tactical Times (@Tactical_Times) August 14, 2021
And there was also a notable nod to how bad it actually was last season:
The van Dijk – Matip partnership has now played more minutes this season than it did last season.
Tsimikas has now played more league minutes this season than he did last season.
Starting to think that maybe we weren't exaggerating the injury problems ?
— barry (@BackseatsmanLFC) August 14, 2021
Greek Scouser catches the eye
Klopp was not wrong in saying that it looked as though “someone obviously pulled the plug a little bit” late in the piece on Tsimikas’ maiden start, but he did more than enough.
Filling the position left vacant by Andy Robertson is no easy feat but there’s plenty to be excited about as the Greek Scouser steps out from the shadows:
In general the main positive for me is that they all clearly trust him — he’s always the pass, even when under pressure.
— Mari Lewis (@MariCLewis) August 14, 2021
We got a good showcase of the player Kostas Tsimikas is. All action. Great in the opposition third. Sometimes a bit too keen. Sometimes a bit too casual. But smooth.
Different from Andy Robertson, not on his level, but he does represent a really good, really unique prospect.
— The Tactical Times (@Tactical_Times) August 14, 2021
We’re lucky to have a LB cover, it means Robbos absence hasn’t Kostas
— K. (@KayethenLFC) August 14, 2021
Improvements to be had but he showed all the signs Klopp and co. will have wanted to see.
Fans are back!
How did we survive so long without fans in stadiums?
It was a glorious sight to see the two teams greeted by a sea of yellow and with the travelling Kop in fine voice, real football with real fans and we missed it greatly!
? "Siiiiiiiiim senhorrrrrr, give the ball to Bobby and he will score" ? pic.twitter.com/KYyWXpppyc
— The Anfield Wrap (@TheAnfieldWrap) August 14, 2021
It's so refreshing to hear our away end again. The travelling Kop are boss ?
— Cathal OL ????? (@IrishRED05) August 14, 2021
You’ll never walk alone
???????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/6CFREfq99k— ???? ??????????? (@JK1O_) August 14, 2021
Now for similar scenes at Anfield…bring it on!
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