Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to five points with a 4-1 win over Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

In a first half marred by injuries to Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez propelled the Reds into the ascendancy with his ninth Premier League goal of the season, before Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah - on his first domestic appearance since New Year's Day - put the league leaders out of sight.

Ivan Toney offered the Bees faithful hope of an improbable fightback deep into the second half, but Cody Gakpo quickly restored the visitors' three-goal lead as Brentford were left to lament a shoddy defensive display.

An Alisson Becker-less Liverpool side were at least strengthened by the return of Salah to the matchday squad, while Brentford lost key defensive cog Ethan Pinnock to an ankle injury before kickoff; Kristoffer Ajer took his place.

Thomas Frank's men made a few inroads early doors - particularly down Liverpool's right flank - but it was Mark Flekken who was forced into the first meaningful actions of the game in the 10th minute, producing a fine double save from Conor Bradley's outside-of-the-foot flick and Jota's follow-up from a tight angle.

The Dutchman's fingertips were required again to tip Jota's half-volley over in the 21st minute, prior to which stand-in goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher made a couple of simple stops from Toney, whose link-up play with Neal Maupay was central to the hosts carving out first-half opportunities.

Liverpool still had control of the tie, but the Reds' midfield injury crisis worsened in the 34th minute, as Jones could not continue after an apparent tweak and was replaced by Ryan Gravenberch.

Despite the unplanned alteration, Liverpool would strike first just one moment after Jones trudged off the field, as Brentford committed all bodies forward for a long free kick upfield from Flekken, which was hacked away by Virgil van Dijk.

Jota sprinted away to meet the Dutchman's clearance, and under pressure from Sergio Reguilon, the Portuguese deftly headed the ball into the path of Nunez, who had a clear run at goal and exquisitely lifted the ball over Flekken's reach.

Delight became despair for Klopp's crop - and Jota in particular - just five minutes after Nunez's opener, though, as Christian Norgaard landed on the knee of the January Premier League Player of the Month, who ultimately had to be stretchered off the field in visible discomfort.

Salah was given the nod to replace Liverpool's second injury victim of the first half, and the visitors had used up over half of their substitutes by the time the second 45 began; Gakpo replaced Nunez at the break for their third change of the afternoon.

Salah was back up to his old tricks almost immediately and found himself charging through on goal in the 51st minute, although he uncharacteristically poked his finish wide of the near post, evidently rusty from his recent absence.

However, the Egyptian's playmaking excellence had not eluded him, as just four minutes after his miss, Salah curled a sumptuous pass out from the right into Mac Allister, who managed to evade an off-balance Ajer and find the bottom corner on the stretch to double Liverpool's lead.

The life had been firmly sucked out of Brentford by this point, and their afternoon went from bad to worse in the 68th minute, as Ajer challenged Gakpo for a header high up the field and lost the aerial battle to the Dutchman, who flicked the ball into Salah's path.

Neither Ben Mee nor Nathan Collins were able to cover the space left by Ajer, and while the latter faced up to Salah, he was powerless to prevent the 31-year-old from shifting the ball onto his left foot and picking out the far corner.

The hosts would go down swinging, though, as with 15 minutes of normal time remaining, Kelleher made a brilliant save down to his right from Reguilon's first-time strike, but Toney was well-positioned to crash home the rebound.

However, a defensive calamity eradicated any doubts over the outcome in the 86th minute, as both Collins and Saman Ghoddos swiped and missed the ball, allowing Diaz to slip in Gakpo for a simple low finish.

There was time for a dose of late excitement, though, as during a seven-minute additional period, Kelleher made a brilliant reaction save from Toney's header, before the final chance of the contest saw Van Dijk crash a header against the bar from a corner.

Now five clear of Arsenal and Manchester City for at least a couple of hours, Liverpool only have a few days to recuperate before hosting Luton Town on February 21, while Brentford - who stay 14th - head to the Etihad to face the champions on Tuesday evening.