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Liverpool thumped a hapless Leeds United 3-0 at Elland Road in the Premier League. Goals from Mohamed Salah, Fabinho and Sadio Mane helped continue the Reds' unbeaten start to their 2021-22 campaign.
The Reds were a cut above their hosts from start to finish, dominant in their performance and creating better chances too. Sure, they misfired in the opening stanza, with Mane, Virgil van Dijk and Diogo Jota, all scuppering their chances after Salah's opener.
But two more goals after the break added some gloss to the scoreline ,and went some way to doing justice to their top-notch performance. The Peacocks were in complete shambles in defence, and didn't create many clear-cut chances at the other end either. They mustered four shots on target.
With the win, Liverpool are back in third with ten points from four games, level with Manchester United and Chelsea, while Leeds have sunk to 17th.
On that note, here are the five key talking points from the match:
#5 Mohamed Salah hits century of Premier League goals
With his latest strike, Mohamed Salah now has a grand total of 100 goals in the Premier League, a distinction only 29 other players can boast of .
The Egyptian has been a prolific scorer for the Reds since joining from AS Roma in 2017. Salah, now, has served a timely reminder of his goalscoring prowess by scoring against Leeds.
And he has achieved that in just over four years. Salah now averages a staggering 25 goals a season - not a bad record for a player who was deemed a Premier League 'flop' before joining the Merseyside outfit.
Salha has also broken numerous scoring records along the way, including the most goals in a single campaign with 32 during the 2017-18 season, his first at Liverpool, while also winning the Golden Boot in consecutive seasons.
Still only 29, Salah has a few more years at the top, and at this rate, he could be set for a lot more records and milestones in the Premier League.
#4 What's up with Leeds United this season?
Last season, the Peacocks ended their 16-year wait to participate in the Premier League. They were a breath of fresh air, displaying an exciting attacking brand of football that won them the admiration of many.
With a late surge, they managed to finish inside the top ten. Leeds won their last four games of the 2020-21 season to end in ninth place, just behind North London sides Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
However, the new season hasn't looked as promising for them by any stretch of imagination so far, Marcelo Bielsa's team have consistently struggled at both ends of the pitch, and it was no different against Liverpool.
The Reds literally ripped through Leeds in the first half with a dominant performance. Only a few wayward attempts kept the scoreline no more than 1-0 at the break.
On the attacking front too, the home side were absolutely toothless. Despite improving after the break, Leeds never really conjured many real chances to break Liverpool open.
In one notable moment, though, Patrick Bamford stole the ball off Liverpool's Thiago Alcantara and drove forward before trying his luck from distance after spotting Alisson Becker off his line. However, the Liverpool goalkeeper recovered well enough to tip the shot over the bar.
Leeds remain winless in the Premier League this season, after four games, having drawn and lost twice apiece, They are five points worse off than they were at this stage last season, as they hover just above the relegation zone.
#3 Trent Alexander-Arnold packs a punch
Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold endured a precipitous decline last season. But the player seems to have recaptured his mojo in the new season. He reaffirmed the same with another heroic performance. The marauding right-back bagged one assist before creating a second from an excellent corner-kick.
The 22-year-old was in inspired form against Leeds. He took the right side of the pitch by storm with his energetic runs and dynamism, whipping up chance after chance for his team.
In fact, no player has registered more assists or created more chances than Alexander-Arnold in the Premier League so far this season. And given the form he's in right now, he may not be easily caught by anyone either.
#2 Raphinha's Liverpool audition flops
There were reports earlier this week that Liverpool are tracking Leeds United winger Raphinha, who has apparently been a subject of interest for the Reds. But on the day, Raphinha endured a poor 'audition', as he struggled all game.
The Reds deserve credit for keeping him at arm's length, with Andrew Robertson in particular. dealing with him superbly.
While Raphinha laid a few clinical passes, his overall output was minimal, and he also failed to muster a single effort in the game. One poor performance might not cool off Liverpool's interest if they are serious in his pursuit. But Raphinha will now be watched with greater scrutiny.
#1 Harvey Elliott's injury mars Liverpool's resounding victory
Liverpool were a class apart on the day against Leeds. With a little more clinical finishing in the final third, it might as well have been a complete rout. But the celebrations will be muted in the Reds' camp after Harvey Elliott's seemingly horrific injury.
The 18-year-old appeared to suffer a broken leg after getting on the receiving end of a nasty tackle from Leeds defender Pascal Struijk, who was subsequently sent off for that.
The players, both from Liverpool and Leeds, were visibly distressed while Reds boss Jurgen Klopp was disgusted by the challenge, and was seen talking furiously to match officials.
And why wouldn't he be furious? Elliott has had a good season so far, showing plenty of promise even in the limited time he has received. Now it looks like he's set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
