Liverpool net six at Elland Road to earn victory over Leeds United

The Reds secured three points in impressive fashion at Elland Road on Monday night.

Cody Gakpo and Salah both got on the scoresheet in the opening period, ahead of Jota striking twice in the second half, with Salah again scoring in between.

Leeds winger Luis Sinisterra netted for his side immediately after the interval to briefly cut the deficit, while substitute Darwin Nunez completed the scoring late on for the visitors.

Team news

Luis Diaz returned to the bench – his first inclusion in a matchday squad since October – as Liverpool named an unchanged line-up for the fixture.

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho (Thiago, 85), Henderson (Milner, 82), Jones, Jota (Firmino, 82), Salah (Nunez, 81), Gakpo (Diaz, 81).

Unused subs: Kelleher, Elliott, Tsimikas, Matip.

First half

Leeds were the first of the two teams to work an opportunity on goal in the early stages of the contest.

Jack Harrison’s swinging free-kick was met by the head of Rodrigo, though goalkeeper Alisson Becker denied the effort with safe hands.

Jota’s volley from a tight angle was pushed away by home stopper Illan Meslier in response, before Sinisterra shot wide from the edge of the opposite box.

Salah was then unable to connect fully with a Jordan Henderson cross with the teams trading swift chances.

Ahead of the half-time interval, Liverpool struck twice in four minutes to open up a two-goal advantage.

Trent Alexander-Arnold first crossed low for Gakpo to score from close range, while Salah’s well-placed effort added to the lead after Jota fed in the No.11.

Second half

Leeds halved the deficit two minutes into the second period, as Sinisterra raced through to lift the ball over the onrushing Alisson.

The Reds, though, restored the two-goal cushion five minutes later after Curtis Jones’ inch-perfect ball forward was converted by Jota in neat fashion.

Salah again had the ball in the back of the net not long after, but a raised offside flag denied celebrations following a well-worked set-piece routine.

The forward, however, wasn’t to be halted only minutes later, with the Reds adding a fourth thanks to a brilliant team move.

Andy Robertson drove down the left and crossed to Gakpo inside the box, who in turn found Salah, before he calmly finished into the bottom corner of the goal.

Jota then added a fifth in emphatic fashion, with the attacker drilling a low strike off the inside of the left post from distance.

Lastly, substitute Nunez rounded off the scoring in the final minute of the contest, as he neatly controlled Alexander-Arnold’s pass over the top and finished into the corner of the net.