Goals in either half from Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota gave Liverpool a 2-1 comeback victory over a spirited Sheffield United at Anfield.
The Blades, with only a point to show from their opening five games of the season, took a surprise lead after 13 minutes when VAR ruled Fabinho’s foul on Oli McBurnie had been just inside the home box – giving Sander Berge the perfect chance to beat the restored Alisson from 12 yards.
A stunning cross from Jordan Henderson teed up Liverpool’s equaliser four minutes before half-time, with Sadio Mane’s header palmed out by Aaron Ramsdale to Firmino, who scored just his third goal in his last 27 games for Liverpool.
The Blades continued to impress after the break without seriously threatening to further concern Alisson on his return from injury, and found themselves behind when Jota netted his first Premier League headed goal from Mane’s excellent delivery.
Victory sees Liverpool leapfrog Aston Villa – who have played a game less – into second place, level with city rivals Everton, who also have a game in hand on their neighbours.
How would Liverpool cope without Virgil van Dijk? His name had dominated discussions in the build-up to Saturday’s game, in spite of the Reds’ relatively comfortable win over Ajax in midweek, but they flew out of the blocks at Anfield and could have led inside two minutes.
Andrew Robertson’s inviting ball down the outside found Mane’s run, and with Ramsdale opting to race off his line, the winger’s slide pass towards Firmino looked certain to be tapped home until a vital sliding block from John Egan took it behind.
Trent Alexander-Arnold caused the goalkeeper more problems with an audacious free-kick from the half-way line which saw him back-peddling to tip the ball over his crossbar and spare his blushes.
The half would swing on a momentary lapse from Fabinho, so impressive in Amsterdam on Wednesday night, but rash to lunge in on McBurnie on the edge of his own box. Mike Dean initially awarded the visitors a free-kick, but VAR referee Andre Marriner ruled the foul had occurred inside the box, leaving Berge to beat Alisson from 12 yards.
Their sudden burst of confidence which followed was clear to see, as McBurnie then skewed an effort wide when well-placed before Ben Osborn’s well-struck volley was palmed away by Alisson. The Blades had serious cause to believe they could have had another penalty with half-time approaching when Berge went over Diogo Jota’s outstretched leg just inside the area, but a well-placed Dean saw nothing untoward.
Moments later the half would take another sudden swing, as Liverpool made something out of nothing to level. Jordan Henderson’s wicked cross from the right found Mane at the back post, but after keeping out his header Ramsdale was powerless to stop Firmino following up from close-range.
That didn’t take the wind out of the Blades’ sails before half-time, and neither did their heads drop after with George Baldock seeing a goalbound effort deflected behind within two minutes of the restart, before Salah fired just over at the other end from a half-cleared corner.
Soon Salah did find the back of the net with a textbook take and finish from Alexander-Arnold’s whipped cross from deep, but his celebrations were cut short as a rapid VAR check ruled his run had taken him a foot or so beyond the last man.
They would not be cut short for long. Having defended so well against him all evening, Baldock allowed Mane space to cross from the left and Jota, having peeled off Enda Stevens at the back post, nodded in an excellent header.
Salah nearly wrapped up the points with another smart move nine minutes from time, turning Egan and heading for goal, but this time the woodwork, rather than VAR, denied the Egyptian.
Sheffield United never gave up the ghost in a performance which had plenty to savour but, most frustratingly for Chris Wilder, nothing to show for it as the Blades remained in the bottom three, while Liverpool moved joint top of the developing Premier League table.
