Huddersfield 0-1 Liverpool: Salah strike seals victory for Reds over valiant Huddersfield
Relive all the action from the John Smith's Stadium
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Your support makes all the difference.Mohamed Salah finally returned to the lethal form Liverpool fans have come to expect after his first half strike sealed an unsteady victory against a valiant Huddersfield.
It was a serene rekindling of old Dortmund ties between Jurgen Klopp and David Wagner who conducted their post-match interviews as a pair but on the pitch Liverpool were decidedly sloppy and Huddersfield will rue a number of missed opportunities that could have dragged them out of the drop zone.
Salah's 50th Premier League goal came in the 24th minute after a deft ball by surprise Swiss starter Xherdan Shaqiri teed him up for a neat finish into the bottom corner.
The Egyptian reacted to his first goal for four games with a mixture of ecstasy and relief but it was then Huddersfield who began to take a foothold in the match when many might have expected this season's more ruthless Reds to add to their tally.
Jonathon Hogg belted a long-range effort against the post and just minutes later Alex Pritchard thought his close-range chip over Alisson had levelled the match before being ruled narrowly offside.
The pattern continued in the second half as Huddersfield continued to spurned opportunities which might have changed the fate of the game.
Jurgen Klopp brought on Fabinho to try and reinforce the protection in front of Liverpool's defence but even then Huddersfield substitute Steve Mounie wasted a glorious chance with less than ten minutes to go when the ball fortuitously bumbled to him in the box only to wildly thrash it skyward.
The victory put Liverpool back on equal footing with Manchester City, who walloped Burnley earlier in the day, and two in front of Chelsea after their draw with Manchester United.
Huddersfield, however, remain winless in nine and sit in the uncomfortable saddle of the relegation zone with just three points.
Relive all the action below.
9 minutes
Allison has had a few nervous moments since arriving at Liverpool and he nearly gifts Laurent Depoitre a goal, taking forever to try and clear and fortunate that the ball ricochets off the Belgian out of play rather than into his goal.
Huddersfield have started well.
11 minutes
Huddersfield are pushing their wing-backs quite high up the pitch and leaving their three centre-halves to deal with Liverpool's forward-most three unassisted.
A risky tactic.
13 minutes
Magnificent raking pass from Philip Billing to Erik Durm on the left, and Billing will get a chance to launch another long throw.
Dejan Lovren concedes a corner.
15 minutes
A training ground move to Aaron Mooy doesn't work and Liverpool look to break.
Joe Gomez collides with Chris Lowe as he tries to unleash a drive from 30 yards. It appears Lowe will be alright to continue, though he has a bloodied nose.
16 minutes
Xherdan Shaqiri has a volley blocked from the edge of the area, and then is adjudged to have fouled Erik Durm.
Huddersfield free-kick in their own half.
18 minutes
Daniel Sturridge appears to have found some space peeling out to the left but he can't bring down a curling ball on his chest.
20 minutes
A relatively quiet start to this game. Liverpool haven't been able to string great long spells of possession together.
21 minutes
Brilliant sliding challenge from Christopher Schindler as Mohamed Salah threatened to get away.
It has been a real battle so far, with just the one attempt between the two teams.
GOAL! Huddersfield 0-1 Liverpool (Mohamed Salah, 24 minutes)
Lovely goal.
Xherdan Shaqiri weights his pass perfectly to allow the onrushing Mohamed Salah to take the ball in his path without breaking stride. The Egyptian fires across Jonas Lossl to the far post with his right foot and the ball ricochets in off the woodwork.
Top assist, top finish. 1-0 Liverpool
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