MO SALAH returned from injury with a bang, only to have important Liverpool players switch places with him in the medical room.

Mohamed Salah returned to Liverpool and grabbed a goal and assistBrentford were far off the pace against the table-topping Reds

Salah’s assist and goal in his first outing since a hamstring injury ended the game and secured the victory, keeping the Reds clear at the top of the table.

However, Jurgen Klopp’s ambitions of fielding a first-choice lineup in next weekend’s Carabao Cup Final were dashed three times.

Klopp had already lost Curtis Jones when Diogo Jota was carried off on a stretcher and replaced by Salah.

Then Darwin Nunez, who scored the beautiful opening goal, did not return for the second half.

Alexis MacAllister doubled the visitors’ lead after Salah’s assist, and the Egyptian made the most of Brentford’s poor defence to make it three.

With 15 minutes left, Ivan Toney pulled one back, but Nathan Collins made another mistake, allowing Luis Diaz to pass to Cody Gakpo for the fourth.

At least the number of goals outweighed the number of injuries, but if the margin at the top continues wide, Klopp’s options in the short and medium term are limited.

An open and appealing game opened with an opportunity for the Bees. Following a swift throw-in, Christian Norgaard found Vitaly Janelt unmarked in the box, but the midfielder’s shot was well off goal.

Mark Flekken, the home custodian, was quickly pushed into an excellent double save, first denying Conor Bradley’s cut shot and then blocking Diogo Jota’s follow-up.

Brentford returned, and a great play concluded with Neal Maupay slipping the ball into Toney’s path, only for his strike partner to fire a left-footed shot well wide.

He soon sent a feeble free kick right into Caoimhin Kelleher’s arms.

When Maupay was released in the channel, he was unable to put enough on his shot when under pressure from Ibrahima Konate.

At the other end, Jota forced Flekken to make another quick stop.

Norgaard missed another clear chance before Liverpool seized the lead.

Flekken went from taking a free kick to pulling the ball out of the net in seconds.

The visitors cleared untidily with a kick by Virgil Van Dijk, but what followed was flawless.

Jota’s header was weighted and directed just where Nunez wanted it. The Uruguayan charged on at pace and sent the most delicious chip over the Brentford keeper and under the bar.

However, the Reds suffered their second injury of the afternoon before halftime.

Curtis Jones was pushed off earlier, while Jota was taken out on a stretcher when Norgaard landed on him.

On came Salah to a chorus of welcome from the away fans.

The Egyptian King should have scored in the third of eight minutes of stoppage time, but Diaz’s cross just bounced off him.

Worse news for the Reds followed when Nunez did not emerge for the second half, and was replaced by Gakpo.

Diaz, the one Liverpool forward who deserved to go off, created an opening but sent his shot over the bar.

Then Salah wasted another fine opportunity.

Van Dijk’s header sent him clean through but his reluctance to use his right foot led to him jabbing a weird left-footed shot wide.

No matter. Moments later SAlah made the second goal.

His pass found Mac Allister and the Argentinian World Cup winner outdid Kristoffer Ajer before jabbing home.

Bradley, giving another fine performance in Alexander-Arnold’s place, just cleared the bar with his own effort.

Liverpool were finding life a little too easy, so Brentford boss Thomas Frank made a triple substitution.

Ajer’s block stopped Diaz earning Salah another assist. But soon he had a goal.

Gakpo won the header against Ajer, who was then let down by both his centre back partners.

Ben Mee just left the ball for Salah ran on to and when Nathan Collins came across, he failed to stop Salah hitting a shot across Flekken to make it 3-0.

The Bees felt a flutter of hope when Toney followed up to score after Kelleher made a superb stop from Sergio Reguilon.

The home team threatened little, though, until Collins was guilty of another rank piece of defending.

The former Wolves man allowed the ball to go through him, leaving Diaz to find Gakpo and the Dutchman to find the net.

Flekken kept out a late Harvey Elliott free kick, Van Dijk hit the bar and Kelleher made a save himself in between, but this was a relegation performance from Brentford.

Injuries may yet play a big role in whether this is a trophy-winning season for Liverpool.