Liverpool's title defense starts with thrilling win over Leeds

Liverpool's first domestic title defense in three decades got off to an explosive start on Saturday at Anfield.

Mohamed Salah bagged a treble for the hosts, and Jack Harrison and Mateusz Klich scored dazzling goals for the visitors as Liverpool edged Leeds United in a scintillating 4-3 victory.

Leeds' first top-flight match since 2004 was not a banner affair for the club's two big-money summer signings.

Robin Koch's tenure could not have gotten off to a worse start after the £13-million addition from Freiburg handled Salah's close-range effort minutes after the opening whistle. Salah thumped a rising effort into the roof of the net from the penalty spot to give the hosts a fourth-minute advantage.

That lead lasted all of eight minutes when Harrison spun Trent Alexander-Arnold before cutting in to unleash a perfect strike into the bottom corner at the near post past a lunging Alisson.

Koch was again the focal point when the central defender lost Virgil van Dijk on a corner kick as the unmarked Dutchman skied to head Andrew Robertson's delivery to make it 2-1 inside of 20 minutes.

Bielsa's Leeds display plenty of fight

Again, Leeds pushed forward, and again, Marcelo Bielsa's men leveled the scoreline. Patrick Bamford pounced on a loose touch by Van Dijk on a ball over the top and chipped over Alisson and into the net at the half-hour mark.

The previously infallible Van Dijk has now accounted for three errors leading to a goal since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, the highest total in the Premier League.

Three minutes later, Salah notched his second and bailed out Van Dijk when the Egyptian forward corralled Pascal Struijk's failed clearance, firing a rocket into the top corner that a diving Illan Meslier could do little to thwart.

Leeds maintained their attacking ambitions after the interval, and Polish midfielder Mateusz Klich rewarded his side's enterprise when he deftly received an incisive ball into the area from Helder Costa, flicking the ball up with his right foot before firing a clinical strike on the same peg to make it 3-3 after 66 minutes.

Club-record signing Rodrigo undid Leeds' efforts with minutes remaining when the £27-million second-half substitute daftly tripped Fabinho in the area, leading to Salah's second from the penalty spot.

Liverpool, who are now 60 matches unbeaten at home in league play, will now prepare for a trip to Chelsea next Sunday before welcoming Arsenal on Matchday 3.