Liverpool players ratings against Brentford: Salah bids farewell with a stunning assist

Match recap: Salah’s final masterclass and Liverpool’s Champions League qualification

Salah pushed hard to extend his tally of 257 Liverpool goals, but his best chance—a well-placed free kick just outside the box—was denied by a post. Undeterred, he delivered his 93rd assist for Liverpool, curling a perfect cross from the right flank that Curtis Jones headed in just before the hour mark.

Brentford pulled level through a close-range header by Kevin Schade, yet the point secured Liverpool’s fifth-place finish and Champions League qualification for next season. Below, we break down the player ratings from Anfield as Salah and Andy Robertson departed after legendary spells in Merseyside.

Goalkeeper and defence

• Alisson Becker (6/10): In what could have been his final appearance at Anfield, the Brazilian made a crucial save against Schade just before half-time. However, he was powerless to prevent Brentford’s equaliser.
• Curtis Jones (7/10): Deployed out of position at right-back, Jones delivered a strong performance. He spearheaded Liverpool’s best attacking sequences early on and then capitalised on Salah’s sublime cross to open the scoring. A minor defensive lapse led to Schade’s header, but his overall contribution was noteworthy as his future at Liverpool remains uncertain.
• Ibrahima Konaté (5/10): Confident in the air and precise with his passing, Konaté received an avoidable yellow card for a clumsy foul as his contract nears expiration.
• Virgil van Dijk (6/10): Delivered a typical dominant display, though he will be frustrated that Liverpool failed to keep a clean sheet yet again.
• Andy Robertson (6/10): Preferred over Kerkez for his final Liverpool outing, the Scotsman was solid but not spectacular. He was beaten to the equaliser by Schade, though the deflection made the scenario unavoidable. Like Salah, he received a standing ovation upon his substitution.

Midfield

• Ryan Gravenberch (7/10): One of Liverpool’s most energetic performers, he drove several promising attacks early on and nearly scored with a well-struck long-range effort.
• Alexis Mac Allister (5/10): Showed intensity but lacked effectiveness. His frustration boiled over with a heavy tackle on Igor Thiago, earning a late yellow card.
• Dominik Szoboszlai (7/10): Continued to display his trademark mobility, finding Gakpo in the box with a brilliant cross before setting up an opportunity for Wirtz. Though not flawless, he remains Liverpool’s strongest contender for Player of the Season.

Attack

• Mohamed Salah (8/10): Played as though determined to leave his mark, Salah saw his curling free kick cannon off the post when Kelleher was already beaten. His assist for Jones’s goal—delivered with precision—elevated him past Steven Gerrard as Liverpool’s all-time top assist provider in the Premier League.
• Cody Gakpo (6/10): Created multiple chances for teammates and assisted Jones on the opener by releasing Salah. He will rue a missed headed chance from a Szoboszlai cross, which was diverted by a Brentford defender.
• Rio Ngumoha (7/10): The fearless teenager consistently seized opportunities and nearly opened the scoring with a curling shot that rattled the frame.

Substitutes and manager

• Florian Wirtz (6/10): Returning in fine form, the German replaced Ngumoha with just under 20 minutes left. Initially struggling to settle, Wirtz was denied a last-gasp winner by a brilliant Kelleher save in stoppage time.
• Jeremie Frimpong (5/10): Introduced for Salah on the right wing at the 74th minute, he had little impact on the game.
• Trey Nyoni (unrated): Replaced Gravenberch in the final 10 minutes.
• Milos Kerkez (N/A): Came on for Robertson in the 83rd minute.
• Joe Gomez (N/A): Replaced Konaté at the very end.
• Arne Slot (5/10): Resisted the urge to bench Salah after his latest outburst and was rewarded with an assist. Ngumoha impressed in his first start, but Slot faces a summer of work to address Liverpool’s defensive frailties.