Liverpool and Brentford played out a 1-1 draw at Anfield, with Curtis Jones opening the scoring off Mohamed Salah's last assist for the Reds. Only for Brentford's Kevin Schade to spoil the farewell party for the hosts.

The match served as an emotional farewell to club legends Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, who made their last appearances. 

Credits: BBC

Story of the Match

Slot's side dominated much of the possession and created numerous chances but struggled to convert their dominance into a commanding lead. Brentford remained resilient and earned a point, though they ultimately fell short of European qualification after a late missed opportunity.

Despite the draw, the result confirmed Liverpool's spot in the Champions League football next season, providing a positive conclusion to a challenging year 2 under the Dutchman.

Slot fielded a strong lineup, with the notable inclusion of Alisson returning to the starting eleven after two months out with an injury. Salah retained his place in the team to make his 442nd appearance for the club, as the head coach dismissed any suggestions of dropping the forward despite recent public disagreements.

The match began with the home side pressing quickly and controlling the early exchanges in the sunshine. The Kop sang the duo's names on repeat for the opening 15 minutes, setting the atmosphere for the afternoon.

Liverpool looked determined to get Salah on the scoresheet, and he came close when his left-footed free-kick from the edge of the penalty area curled past former Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher, only to rebound off the post.

Credit: The Namibian

The hosts continued to apply pressure, with Ibrahima Konaté heading straight at Kelleher from a Robertson cross, and Dominik Szoboszlai dragging an effort wide. Cody Gakpo also tested the visiting goalkeeper, while Rio Ngumoha created space for himself but sent a curving shot just wide of the target.

However, Brentford came close to taking the lead against the run of play. Sepp van den Berg and Nathan Collins combined to head a Jordan Henderson delivery across the six-yard box, finding an unmarked Schade. The forward had time to pick his spot, but Alisson launched himself across the goal to make an exceptional save with his knee, keeping the score level at the break.

The second half started with Liverpool attacking the Kop end, continuing their search for an opening goal without making any immediate personnel changes. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 58th minute. Gakpo released Salah down the right wing, and the 33-year-old advanced into the penalty area before delivering a trademark outside-of-the-left-boot cross.

The delivery perfectly picked out Jones, who steered a straightforward finish past Kelleher to give Liverpool the lead. The assist was Salah's 93rd for Liverpool, overtaking Steven Gerrard to set a new club record for Premier League assists.

The joy in the stadium was short-lived, as Brentford responded with greater intensity and equalized in the 64th minute. A deep cross from Keane Lewis-Potter took a slight deflection off Jones and fell to Schade, who beat Alisson with a diving header to restore parity.

As the half progressed, the focus shifted to the legends of the club: both former and current ones who were leaving. Starting with Henderson. He was returning to Anfield and got the deserved standing ovation from the home crowd as he was substituted on the hour mark

In the 74th minute, Slot made the decision to substitute Salah, replacing him with Jeremie Frimpong. The Egyptian received a guard of honour from his teammates and knelt to kiss the pitch one final time before embracing his head coach. Robertson followed shortly after in the 83rd minute, making way for Milos Kerkez to similar adulation.

Player of the Match

Mohamed Salah provided a fitting end to his Liverpool career by creating the opening goal with an exceptional piece of skill. Beyond breaking the club's Premier League assist record, his constant threat and emotional connection with the supporters defined the entire afternoon. A perfect parting gift!

What’s Next?

Saying farewell to Salah and Robertson forces the club to confront significant uncertainty ahead of the next campaign, as they evaluate the capacity of new signings to fill the considerable void left behind. Ultimately, it could have been a better end on the pitch, but the stuttering draw realistically reflects the difficulties Liverpool navigated throughout this season.

Nevertheless, the dropped points do not take away from what Salah and Robertson have given the club over the years. On an afternoon defined by emotional goodbyes and warm reunions, it was fitting to see the duo get the proper send-off from the fans they fully deserved. Anfield can now properly close the chapter on their careers before addressing the challenging summer rebuild ahead.

And it starts with the postseason review of Arne Slot. As Fabrizio Romano has reiterated, that could be a key factor that would rubber-stamp the Slot saga: fans' clear disdain vs. the board's backing of the Dutchman.