Mohamed Salah struck twice as Liverpool ran out 3-0 winners at Stoke City.

The Reds found themselves ahead at the Bet365 Stadium when Sadio Mane dinked home in the 17th minute after being played through by Dominic Solanke.

Poacher turned provider late in the second half as Mane teed up Salah, on as a substitute, to volley in Liverpool’s second when he floated a cross to the far post.

Salah rounded off the evening with a brilliant solo effort and slotted finish for Liverpool’s third for Jurgen Klopp’s side as well as his 17th of the season.

Here were the key talking points from the Potteries:

Klopp rewards Solanke’s patience

 

Good things do come to those who wait, as Dominic Solanke can already attest.

Tempting though it may have been to bow to an increasing clamour for him to pursue first-team opportunities elsewhere, the Liverpool striker has stood firm.

That persistence finally paid dividends with his first Premier League start at the Bet365 Stadium vindicating Jurgen Klopp’s judgement from the outset.

Solanke not only teed up Sadio Mane for his side’s opener with a threaded pass but developed a good link-up with both Roberto Firmino and Joe Gomez.

Admittedly he should have scored with a close-range chance but Solanke showed that he is definitely knocking on the door – and that Klopp is willing to answer.

Reds finally get a rub of the green

 

Some teams have all the luck but Liverpool have rarely been on the receiving end. That finally changed against Mark Hughes’ beleaguered side.

Stoke’s defence stopped in its tracks amid claims Joe Gomez’s cross had drifted out of play, allowing Mane a clear run on goal that led to the visitors’ opener.

However it would not be the last stroke of fortune as Simon Mignolet avoided a red card for a foul on Mame Biram Diouf on the edge of the area.

The Potters also hit the post and spurned another golden opportunity to reduce the deficit during a goalmouth scramble in the final minutes of stoppage time.

Even then, the offside flag came to Liverpool’s aid. It may have been for one night only but there was finally a rub of the green for Klopp’s side.

Salah passes the Messi test

 

Mohamed Salah’s exploits will eventually prove as mundane as they are repetitive.

After all, the Anfield faithful grew accustomed to seeing the likes of Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler and Luis Suarez terrorising opposing defences on a weekly basis.

Salah, however, is already continuing to operate on a different level altogether.

Klopp turned to the Egyptian to open up a game which could have potentially slipped away from his side, with Stoke battling against a one-goal deficit.

By the end of his 25-minute outing, Salah had racked up his 16th and 17th goals of the season through a combination of sheer ruthlessness and finesse.

Excelling on cold Wednesday night in Stoke remains the litmus test which Lionel Messi may ultimately never realise but Salah has proved he is more than capable.

Playing the long game pays off

 

Klopp was regularly criticised for leaving Liverpool with little in the tank to the point that it would ultimately come home to roost later in the campaign.

Time appears to have shown the German the error of his ways, with a number of high-profile figures rested for his side’s trip to the Potteries.

Rather than continuing to go full-force, Klopp chose to rest Philippe Coutinho while Salah and Jordan Henderson were conserved through second-half cameos.

With eight games in December, including a do-or-die Champions League group finale and a Merseyside derby next week, Liverpool need to keep playing the long game.