Jurgen Klopp praised both teams for a “proper spectacle” to launch the new Premier League season after Mohamed Salah’s hat-trick helped Liverpool outgun Leeds 4-3 at an empty Anfield on Saturday.
Leeds’ return to the English top-flight under Marcelo Bielsa after a 16-year absence was highly anticipated and a clash against the reigning champions lived up to expectations with five goals in the opening 33 minutes.
Salah’s early penalty was cancelled out by Jack Harrison before Virgil van Dijk played both hero and villain for Klopp’s men by heading home and then laying a second equaliser on a plate for Patrick Bamford.
A superb Salah strike again restored Liverpool’s lead before half-time and even after Mateusz Klich levelled for a third time, the Egyptian had the final say with a penalty two minutes from time to complete his hat-trick.
“What a game, what an opponent, what a performance from both teams. A proper spectacle, I loved that,” said Klopp.
“It is pretty rare you see that many goals in a game, we have left space for improvement in our defending but that is not unusual for a first game.”
Here are some Twitter reactions to the mad, mad game:
🎥 Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool's 4-3 win over Leeds was football at its best. pic.twitter.com/M6pxzJxX4l
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) September 12, 2020
Home is where the ❤️ is@LFC extended their unbeaten home run to 60 matches in the #PL#LIVLEE pic.twitter.com/WpxmpSXAa5
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 13, 2020
They do know how to win do @LFC. Cracking game of football.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 12, 2020
Most exciting league opener for me after that 1996 Fabrizio Ravanelli debut hattrick for Boro in 1996, against Liverpool (3-3). Leeds were outstanding yesterday. Welcome back to the Premier League
— Jalil Rasheed (@TheManajemen) September 13, 2020
Leeds made 33 tackles against Liverpool, the most any team has made against the Reds in a single Premier League game across the past five seasons.
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) September 12, 2020
Leeds. Are. Back. pic.twitter.com/iTnu4ljE6p
🗣"Liverpool normally do that against teams!"
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) September 12, 2020
Graeme Souness on Leeds United's performance against Liverpool pic.twitter.com/iDk8acBapS
🗣️ | Bielsa: "Speak up!"
— Newell's Old Boys - English (@Newells_en) September 12, 2020
God bless El Loco's new translator who has just accepted the most difficult job in the world 🤣pic.twitter.com/O1EeWzuimU
Leeds lost to Mo Salah, basically.
— Paul Hayward (@_PaulHayward) September 12, 2020
But Premier League clubs will be poring over what they did at Anfield for when they play them.
Surely the most interesting promoted side in years.
Leeds legit managed to completely shut down TAA and Robertson today so the question becomes: is it possible to do that against Liverpool *without* leaving your side horribly exposed to the front three?
— Grace Robertson 🏳️⚧️ (@GraceOnFootball) September 12, 2020
Salah magic
EVERY. ANGLE. 🎯 @MoSalah starts the season in style 👌 pic.twitter.com/UPBHV2Mm3D
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 12, 2020
🏟 Scored 50 goals in 63 @PremierLeague games at Anfield.
— SPORF (@Sporf) September 12, 2020
✅ Scored in @LFC’s opening league fixture for 4th season in a row.
👀 Jurgen Klopp believes @MoSalah’s hat trick was one of his best performances in an @LFC shirt. pic.twitter.com/8QuOBmzMip
Mohamed Salah vs @LUFC:
— Watch LFC (@Watch_LFC) September 12, 2020
◉ Most touches (87)
◉ Most completed passes in final third (35)
◉ Most shots (9)
◉ Most take-ons completed (7)
◉ Most chances created (4)
◉ Most shots on target (3)
◉ Most goals (3)
The King 👑 pic.twitter.com/xHBcF84g2Z
📊 Mo Salah became the first Liverpool player ever to score on the opening day of four consecutive Premier League seasons 👑 pic.twitter.com/sPoyA43ECS
— Steven Gerrard (@Gerrard8FanPage) September 12, 2020
Mo Salah has scored a goal or assisted in the EPL every 85 minutes in a Liverpool shirt.
— . (@mxgicmo) September 12, 2020
Thats the greatest G/A per game ratio in LFC history.
He’s a legend and it’s time to start treating him like one👑❤️ pic.twitter.com/ONAPDtggi5
For his time at Liverpool, Mohamed Salah has scored 76 goals in 109 Premier League appearances.
— The Tactical Times (@Tactical_Times) September 12, 2020
0.70 goals per game would make Salah the most prolific goalscorer in the competition's history.